Past, Present, Future
by carinims01
Summary: Sequel to 'What Happens.' Not two weeks after the ban is lifted, Merlin is transported -by accident- twelve years into the future. Reacquainted with old friends, he learns he's been missing, presumed dead, for twelve years to the day he was transported. Now, faced with more problems than he can deal with, he has to find a way home, before something goes terribly wrong. No Slash.
1. Prologue

Hi guys! Ok...here's the prologue for my new story! YAY! Sorry it took so long, I couldn't decide which part of the story I wanted the prologue to be...angsty, bromanctic, but then I just chose this to help set the stage..^^ hope you like it! I've also decided that I like drabbles... XD So I might be starting a collection of drabbles, and then a collection of one-shots since 'Shorts' got way outta hand... but anyway! Here ya go!

Disclaimer; IDOM... nor the new trailer! ^_^

I hope you guys like it! I've also made it a new personal goal to eliminate bad grammar and spelling errors _before_ I post it... so hopefully there are none...:)

* * *

Merlin was leaning against the cold stone wall of the dungeons, trying to slow his pounding head and the dizzy spell that played with his vision. He shivered despite himself as a gentle breeze filtered its way through the bars of the small window that overlooked the moonlit courtyard and hugged his leather jacket closer to him. He'd lost his cloak sometime in the whirlwind, plus it was _hardly_ like he'd planned on being thrown in the dungeons in the first place. Uh, he was going to kill Arthur! _What was going on?_

His headache only got worse as he tried to remember what happened. First, there'd been a flash of intensely, blindly white light, a rush of wind, his cloak yanked from him, a scream, then nothing. He'd woken up in the same place, same room. Next, he'd stumbled out of the room grasping his aching head and had heard voice, whispering voices; the voices of children who were where they shouldn't be; he knew what it sounded like from personal experience.

Flashes of remembrance swam past his eyes; a young girl, barely ten if he'd had to guess, long blonde hair, startling blue eyes... a boy... about the same age... short brown hair, brown eyes... _magic_. He'd talked to them... then... he'd fallen?

Merlin rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to think straight as his headache only grew. He pushed back a bout of nausea he was feeling, trying to focus on what was happening. He was in the dungeons, ok... he was cold, ok... he was going to kill Arthur... even better! Why hadn't that prat come and gotten him out yet? Why was he here anyway? He was the Court Sorcerer and First Advisor to the King, yet these men treated him like a stranger... and outsider. He knew he could always just escape and give the King a piece of his mind, and his headache was starting to vote for that, maybe reel Gwaine into it too, but that would most likely mean hurting someone. Merlin sighed. No, he had to figure out what was happening first.

Before he could think of any reason why he was here in this dingy, grimy dungeon cell, he heard the familiar rattling of keys against someone's hip in the distance. Someone was coming. Multiple someone's. Merlin stood up and brushed himself off before walking up to the bars. He gripped them with his long, slender fingers as he leant his foreheads against the wrought iron, colder than the wall, as he waited for the guards to approach. They finally did, three of them with the torch light glinting off their helmets harshly as they walked passed it.

"The King wants to see you," one of them said plainly, the youngest as far as Merlin could tell, as he rifled through a set of keys on his belt.

Merlin rolled his stormy blue eyes, "Well good cause I want to see him too."

The guard's eyebrows scrunched together in confusion before a frown passed over his face in response the prisoner's obvious disrespect for the king. He finally found the key and inserted it into the lock on Merlin's door, and hearing a resounding 'click' as the lock released, he pushed the squeaking door open.

Merlin stepped out, the guards immediately taking positions behind him whilst the guard with the keys took the lead. Merlin inwardly groaned. What was going on? Why did he have to be _escorted_ to a place he went everyday anyway? And why were they treating him like a complete stranger?

As they started walking, Merlin decided to do a quick test and asked, "Do you have any idea who I am?" He hadn't said it haughtily, like he'd have imagined Arthur doing, but with genuine curiosity, which is probably the only reason he got an answer, even as unsatisfying as it was.

The guard in front glanced back at him, his short brown hair flashing golden as he replied, equally curious. "No... Should I?"

Merlin wanted to scream. _What?_ Yes he should know him! Did Arthur put him up to this? That _prat_. Merlin decided that that must have been it as he let out a deserved, put-upon sigh. All he wanted to do was go to his bed and sleep for two days, maybe three, but _no_... He had to play along with Arthur's game - whatever that may be. Oh, he was so going to get it later!

They finally reached the throne room, the guards at the door automatically opening them as Merlin began to rub his face with fervor, trying to dispel a lingering yawn. He didn't need Arthur telling him he needed more sleep, which is _exactly_ what he was trying to get anyway.

"Arthur," Merlin yawned anyway, "you better have a good reason for putting me in the dungeons or I'm going to...-"

It was then that Merlin finally put his down, letting them fall from his face. His eyes immediately grew in surprise and shock as his mouth dropped open, his nose flaring in automatic response. Any lingering logic shattered in Merlin's mind as he stared dumbfounded. Seeing the same effect on those in front of him his mind scrambled for an explanation... because there was no way what he was seeing was real... right? It had to have been an illusion... or he was hallucinating.

Because in front of him, in their respective thrones, were King Arthur and Queen Guinevere, mouths open and eyes wide and shocked as they stared at the newcomer. Along the wall to Merlin's left, staring with an equal amount of shock were Gwaine, Leon, Percival, and Elyan, and to Merlin's right, Gaius. _What in all of Albion? _

Merlin couldn't understand what he was seeing, not any of it. Before him were his friends, his _family_, but no... They couldn't be.

They were too old.

* * *

Ok... I know... pretty epic cliffhanger... sorry! I should have the next chapter up within the next few days, but the same with 'What Happens' I don't know how long each chapter will be, some will be longer, some will be shorter, but I think we're going to start this story pretty soon! ALSO, thanks to everyone who encouraged me to write a sequel, you guys are amazing!

Please reveiw!


	2. Soaring

Hi guys! First...I'm _immensely_ sorry for taking so long to write this chapter! I've been soo busy and this just wasn't flowing like it normally is! Also, this chapter doesn't have a lot of action, which also made it harder to write (i already wrote the main angsty chapter because I was feeling really angsty from reading 'I Will Follow' in CaptainOzone's 'Rabbits and Bathroom Breaks'... it's completely tear jerking and amazing, I cried several times and I still can't read it without my eyes watering!) I hope this makes up for it though! And thank you to everyone who asked me to update! You guys really pushed me to finish this! Just for anyone who doesn't know...I published a new story, well, a collection of drabbles called 'Seeds of the Forest' if you wanna check it out! ^^

Disclaimer; IDOM

Enjoy! ...a little _Meet the Robinson's_ (AMAZING movie) inspired idea! Anyone who can see it gets extra brownie points! :D It's really corny but I hope you like it!

* * *

'_Don't just fly, soar,'_ -Disney

* * *

Merlin bounced happily down the hallway on the way to his kings chambers as his red scarf bounced against his blue-shirted chest. His weathered brown jacket jumped on his shoulders as he turned the corner. The sun was still rising to his left, casting light orange shadows on the wall in the shape of windows; it was going to be a beautiful day. A big, beautiful day.

Merlin smiled brightly, extinguishing the still-lit torches on the wall as he passed them with a small twitch of his hand and a flash of gold in his normally stormy blue eyes. It was pretty much a daily ritual to him now, just another one of his chores. Well, technically he didn't have chores anymore, being of nobility now, but that didn't stop him from putting in his part.

He wasn't even technically Arthur's manservant anymore. It wasn't really proper for nobility to be serving nobility apparently. But, out of habit, Merlin still picked up after the King. But not because he had to, because he wanted to. He'd done it for so many years already, it was just normal for him.

Merlin's heart warmed as he remembered Guinevere suggesting that he get another servant, even if she hadn't one herself. She couldn't stand the thought of someone waiting on her. Merlin smirked fondly; same old Gwen. He remembered Arthur telling her that no one would be able to replace Merlin, and he'd smiled, even if he was sure he wasn't meant to hear that bit.

Another torch blew out with a final flicker of light. A passing servant, seeing the open display of magic, sneered in disapproval at Merlin, narrowing his eyes at him as he passed. It had been nearly two weeks since the repeal of the ban and some had yet to come to terms with it, much less accept it. They'd all known they'd face opposition when it came to such a big change, but they were prepared for it. Fighting back fire with fire wouldn't work so Merlin smiled at him regardless, even though he sighed sadly inside.

It was almost ironic. With the change brought opposition and now Arthur and the Knights even kept a cautious eye on Merlin most of the time, checking up on him at random intervals just in case that opposition went too far. Merlin chuckled to himself quietly. They knew he could take care of himself, even more so now that his magic had been revealed, but they still felt that brotherly protectiveness towards the one they counted as a younger brother. Merlin smiled at the thought and felt a bubble of heartfelt fondness grew in his heart.

He skirted one more corner, now smiling inside and out, and came face to face with Arthur's large wooden door. As usual, instead of knocking, he just flew right in, even letting the door slam behind shut him just to see what Arthur's reaction would be.

Unfortunately, he got nothing. Not so much as a twitch from Arthur's buried body...as far as he could tell. He couldn't really _see_ much of Arthur at all with the exception of the Prat's golden haired arm hanging off the side of the bed.

Merlin rolled his blue eyes at him, sauntering further into the room as his boots clicked on the floor. He noticed a large, full tray of food on Arthur's table, enough for three as usual -thank you Mary- and helped himself to an apple. With a swish of his hand and a flash of golden eyes, the heavy decorative curtains on the other side of the room flew open, sunlight splaying over the dirtied room, so much so that Merlin's own eyes had to adjust to the abrupt change. He tossed the apple in the air and caught it deftly in his right hand as he walked through the room, picking up the King's armour and laying it in the corner.

"Arthur?" He called. He took a bit of the apple, a satisfying crunch echoing around the large room. Merlin savored the juicy flavor in his mouth; he hadn't gotten to eat anything yet this morning since Gaius wasn't home to make him anything and Merlin himself was just too lazy this morning to make something.

"Come on, up ya get," he drawled through a mouthful of apple.

Still not so much as a twitch, not even a _complaint_ about the sunlight. _The dollophead_. What was the point of being..._respectfully _rude if you don't get a response out of it?

Sighing loudly with exaggerated exasperation, Merlin walked over to the bed himself and peeled back the covers. Quickly, a tousled blond head was discovered, a bare back came next, and then a pair of brown sleeping trousers. Ha! He shivered! Serves him right!

"_Mer_lin!" Arthur said, most of the message being smothered by a white pillow.

Merlin smirked, not deigning to reply. Instead he walked over to the wardrobe and grabbed hold of the knobs before there was a knock at the door. Ah, Gwen.

"_Mer_lin!" Arthur complained loudly.

"Not me," he quipped, only sparing his King a glance before turning towards the door. "Come in!"

Arthur's golden head popped up and swiveled to the door just as his wife walked in. Today she was wearing long, deeply blue-grey dress, the cuffs of the shoulders decorated with white flowery embroidery. The belt that hung off her waist was a light grey color, the decoration of simple ringlets before it turned into a normal chain that hung at little off center.

She wore a bright smile on her face, the corners of her lips turned upwards so that it lit up her chocolate brown eyes with amusement and fondness. She closed the door and walked further into the room. "Is Arthur being difficult this morning?" She asked sympathetically.

Merlin smirked. "Yes," he said agreeably.

Gwen giggled and an annoyed, disagreeing groan came from the direction of the bed. Guinevere walked over to give Merlin a hug from where he stood at the wardrobe. "Good morning," she said pleasantly.

Merlin hugged her back, smiling, "Morning."

They broke apart and Merlin turned back to the wardrobe, opening the decorative wooden double doors and revealing a selection of clothing. He quickly grabbed a blue shirt and black trousers and set them at the foot of the bed while he walked to the headboard, Gwen watching with a smile from the sidelines.

"Come on Arthur, get up!" Merlin called, shaking the King's broad shoulders.

Arthur whined and snuggled further into his pillow, drawing his knees up into a fetal position to replace the warmth from the blanket at the edge of the bed. Gwen laughed and Merlin rolled his lighthearted blue eyes.

"Arthur, I swear, I will pour water on you," he threatened.

Arthur groaned again, but rolled over, his ocean eyes glazed over from sleep. "You wouldn't dare," he scowled.

Merlin raised his eyebrows challengingly, his full lips pursed from a smirk that played on his falsely serious face. His eyes danced as he crossed his arms over his thin chest.

"Fine!" Arthur gave in after staring menacingly at Merlin for a few seconds, "I'm up!"

Merlin grinned smugly as Arthur braced himself up on his elbows. Merlin turned around and walked a few steps before he heard a rustling behind him. Instantly he whipped around, hand outstretched and his eyes flaring a brilliant gold, just in time to catch a flying red pillow.

"That's not fair!" Arthur complained, a small smirk playing on his lips from where he knelt on the bed. Guinevere laughed as she covered her mouth with her hand.

Merlin's eyes changed back to their normal kaleidoscope blue with the pillow still hanging in midair. With a flick of his hands, it flew right back into Arthur's face, smothering his next complaint.

"_Mer_lin! I'm making it my personal goal to catch you unawares!" Arthur said, grinning resolutely. He finally got up off his messy bed and kissed his wife good morning.

Merlin smiled. "Good luck! Ya' know, I think Gwaine said the same thing to me yesterday."

Arthur rolled his cerulean eyes and grabbed the clothes Merlin had set out before disappearing behind the screen. Gwen walked over to help Merlin set the table. They arranged for three spots as usual, Merlin divvying out the mound of food while Guinevere poured everyone a goblet of water.

Arthur came out from behind the screen just as Merlin and Gwen sat down on opposite sides of the table, Arthur himself sitting at the head.

"Hmm, that smells good," he remarked, looking down at a roasted chicken breast.

"Arthur," Merlin remarked, "...it's cold."

Arthur screwed up his face into something of a teasing frown, "Come on Merlin, what's the point of having a Court Sorcerer if they can't heat up breakfast?"

Merlin pointed his thick eyebrow upwards in complete disbelief. "You are completely impossible!" He scoffed, laughing anyway.

Nevertheless he took Arthur's plate in his hand, and with a flash of sparkling gold eyes his hand became superheated, therefore heating the metal plate that was balanced there. After a few seconds, he said a quick cooling spell for the bottom of the plate but so that the food would still remain warm. He set the plate down and Arthur nodded at him, genuinely grateful. Merlin smirked and grabbed Gwen's plate.

"Merlin, you don't have to do that," Gwen said sympathetically as Merlin's eyes flashed.

Merlin chuckled; it was so like Guinevere. "Gwen, it's fine, I want to."

Gwen smiled softly at him, the same thought going through her own head; it was so like him. Merlin set her plate down and quickly heated his own with a wave of his hand. Satisfied, they all started eating at the same time.

"Is there any word from your mother yet?" Gwen asked, swallowing. Hunith had left Camelot yesterday after spending some quality time with her son, and his friends. They'd all gotten a kick to learn that Gwaine, in fact, really did remind Hunith of Balinor when he'd been younger.

Merlin grinned. "Yeah, I got a message this morning; she arrived safely."

"Good!" Arthur said. "And what of the displaced villagers?"

"They've almost got their town rebuilt, the soldiers you sent were a great help," Merlin said.

Arthur nodded approvingly and in thanks.

"What's Gaius doing this morning?" Gwen asked. "I haven't seen him around."

Merlin smiled. "Auricha went into labor early this morning. He'd been in the lower town ever since as far as I know."

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Gwen chimed. "I'll have to congratulate her later!"

Arthur looked slightly confused. "And he doesn't need your help?"

Merlin shook his head. "I haven't much experience in..._that_ area of medicine, and since it's not her first child, it should be a relatively easy delivery."

Gwen chuckled. "You sound grateful."

"I am!"

Then they all laughed together, sure in the knowledge that it was carrying down the hallway.

Taking a drink of her cool water, Gwen spoke, still laughing slightly, "Did you speak with Aithusa last night?"

Merlin smiled, taking a drink of his own. "Yep, he'll be waiting for my call."

They had it all planned out. With the re-introduction of magic in the land, they all thought it was fitting to re-introduce the dragons as well. Wisely, Gaius had suggested only showing Aithusa right now, being smaller and...less remembered for attacking Camelot. Arthur had readily agreed with the idea, thinking the people might panic at seeing him so soon once more.

They planned it for early this morning with the idea of just gathering everyone in the courtyard, but still giving Aithusa plenty of room to land with space to move around. He hadn't ever been near crowds, or people for that matter. Kilgharrah had explained that dragon hatchlings are normally introduced to the human world shortly after birth by their Dragonlords, so that they're used to being around people. Aithusa, unfortunately, hadn't had that privilege, so to say he'd been a little nervous was completely understandable.

They didn't think it would be too long. Just show the people Aithusa while he publicly swore his allegiance to Merlin, his Dragonlord, and in turn, Arthur. After that had been affirmed, that Aithusa was Camelot's ally and not her enemy...they'd just play it by ear.

"Great!" Arthur praised, popping a grape into his mouth and crushing through the skin with his white teeth.

"In an hour right?" Gwen asked.

Merlin nodded smiling happily. "Everything's ready."

"You aren't," Arthur quipped, taking in Merlin's shaggy appearance.

Merlin scowled and fingered his neckerchief. "I'm going to change you _prat_."

Gwen giggled and Arthur frowned. "At least I'm not an idiot."

"Oh, sure," Merlin muttered under his breath.

Arthur gaped, light dancing in his eyes. "What's that supposed to mean _Mer_lin?"

Merlin cocked his head to the side, a teasing grin on his face. "Just _how_ long did it take you to learn how to dress yourself sire?"

Gwen burst out laughing, and tried to stifle it by covering her mouth with her napkin, not that that did much as her shoulders shook with laughter. Arthur reached over and punched Merlin in the arm, hard but still light-heartedly, and didn't answer. Merlin rubbed his bicep, a disbelieving grin on his face as he shook his head.

"Dollophead."

"Idiot."

"Is that seriously the only one you can come up with?"

"No!"

"Really? Try another one."

"Clotpole."

"That's my word!"

"And it suits you perfectly!"

"But -."

"Boys!"

Two idiotically smiling faces whipped over to Gwen's own grinning face. "Is breakfast going to be like this _every_ morning?"

Merlin smirked at her. "Nope, yesterday we had ham!"

Arthur nearly spat out his drink and slammed down the goblet that was teasing his lips as he laughed. Gwen shot Merlin a false disapproving frown that only made her husband and his friend laugh harder, clutching their stomachs but making no move to stop the laughing.

Gwen smiled fondly at the two. The King and his Warlock. Ever since Merlin's big reveal, the two had been nearly inseparable. Instead of their relationship becoming edgy and frayed, it was only strengthened, renewed... Refreshed even. Like it should be. The only thing that was different now was that Merlin was free..._soaring_. The genuine smile on his face said as much. There wasn't any more self-loathing hidden behind his stormy blue orbs, no sorrow, and no shame from having to lie to those he loved. No glint in his eyes of the metaphorical cage that had been holding him captive all his life. Only joy, love, and _life_.

Even Arthur seemed more open, more patient and willing to listen to others, yet more affirmative in his decisions. Especially with the councils that had been so frequent as of late. They'd had to rewrite so many treaties and laws _after_ the release of the ban. Too many treaty's saying things about the evils of magic and how it wasn't going to be tolerated in Camelot. Oh, sweet irony.

It reminded Gwen that Princess Mithian would be arriving to do just that the following day. Queen Annis would be coming next week, King Olaf the week after that. The Druids had already been sorted out for the time being.

Guinevere recalled the middle aged Druid Chieftain, Iseldir, that had come to Camelot with some Druids from his camp to negotiate a treaty. It had been simply amazing to see how fast they'd been accepted by Arthur, by Gwen, and the Knights. Merlin and Iseldir had already met a few times before, once with the Cup of Life and then again when they'd been looking for Julius Borden.

They'd met them in the courtyard, out in the open, a sure sign of peace. After introductions had been made, they'd gone inside to discuss the treaty, each putting in good points and making changes to the aged parchment that sat in front of them. Together, Merlin and Arthur had sorted everything out. Together they'd come to an agreement that both pleased the council and the Druids. Together. How it would always be.

Both men had finally gotten their laughter under control and were nursing their drinks, chuckles escaping now and then as Gwen shook her head disbelievingly. They were like children...brothers. It was insane.

Merlin stood smiling and started to gather the dishes, Gwen and Arthur pitching in where they could before the table had been cleared.

"I'll call a servant," Arthur suggested.

Merlin quickly spoke up. "It's fine, I'll do it. I should make sure Gwaine's awake anyway."

Arthur scoffed. "Does that man ever wake up when the sun does?"

Merlin narrowed his eyes and Gwen quickly caught onto what he was going to say. "Arthur, _you _don't wake up when the sun does. It takes both Gwen _and_ I to wake you up, and at least _Gwaine_ doesn't throw things at me!"

Arthur floundered for something to say which only left Merlin grinning smugly. "Just...meet me in the courtyard in an hour will you? We can't actually _call_ the dragon _without_ a Dragonlord."

Merlin smirked as he gathered the stack of dishes in his arms. "Sure thing sire. But honestly, I'd get a kick out of just watching you try to call a dragon."

"Me too!" Gwen added. Both of them laughed at Arthur's responding scowl.

Merlin walked over to the door, Guinevere having the grace to hold it open for him as he clambered by. "Thanks Gwen."

Gwen smiled and closed the door quietly behind him, the resounding click of metal resounding through the room. She turned back to the table as Arthur took a drink of water, his eyes glazed over in thought.

"Arthur?"

"Hm?" He said while the goblet was still raised to his lips. He swallowed the water and set his cup back on the table. "Yes?"

Gwen smirked. "Nothing...you were just lost in thought." Gwen bit her lip and arched her eyebrows teasingly before adding, "It's been happening more and more lately."

Arthur scoffed, his mouth an 'O' as a rough laugh escaped his throat. Laughing, he said, "You're getting as bad as Merlin."

Gwen giggled.

"I think he's a bad influence on you," Arthur grinned.

Guinevere laughed again but walked over to her husband and took his warm hands into her own. A reminiscing smirk played on her lips as she looked up at her husband. "You have to remember though that if it wasn't for Merlin, we wouldn't be together."

Arthur smiled, kissing her knuckles. "I guess I should be grateful to the idiot then."

"I suppose so."

Arthur laughed and stepped back before bowing playfully. "Come along my Queen, we have final preparations to attend to."

Gwen smiled widely and curtsied, taking pieces of her dress in her hand and holding them up while she dipped. Then she stepped over to Arthur's side and looped her arm in his. "Then let's go then my King."

* * *

Merlin turned the last corner and came face to face with the servant's entrance to the kitchen. He flew through the door, already nearly knocking down several people who just gave him amused glances as they hurried to their own chores.

Mary spotted him from where she was stirring a large pot and waved him over. "Merlin!"

He twisted his head as he set the used dishes next to the sink. He smiled at the plump woman and clambered his way across the kitchens. One thing he was glad about with him becoming nobility is that all of his friends, the ones he'd known before his secret had come out, hadn't changed in their opinions of him, maybe they even respected him more now. Mary was one such person.

"Come try this, I can't decide whether it needs more salt or not." She grabbed a clean, spare spoon from the draw beside her before dipping it into the soup. The soup itself was swimming with different herbs, basil, oregano, bay leaves, so much so that it was making the very color of the broth green. It was laden with different noodles and Merlin saw hints of chicken bobbing up here and there. It smelled as good as it looked.

Merlin obediently pushed the large spoon into his mouth, immediately closing his eyes and savoring the flavor before groaning. "Mary that's perfect!"

Mary grinned satisfactorily. "Good!" She chimed.

She took the spoon back and set it on the counter, pointing to a tray of food a few feet away. "Sir Gwaine's breakfast is over there Merlin," she said smiling.

Merlin chuckled. "Thanks!" He started to make his way over to the tray before turning back around to face Mary. "You will be there to see the dragon, won't you?" He asked hopefully.

Mary smiled at him. "Of course. I wouldn't miss it for the world!"

Merlin laughed as he picked up Gwaine's tray and headed out the small door in the back. He turned the first corner and resisted the urge to cover his eyes from the blinding sunlight coming in from the window that reflected off the walls.

He snuck a quick peek at the white cloud dotted sky and smiled. Perfect. Merlin looked down at the courtyard and could already see people gathering behind the rope barrier they'd put up around the courtyard. Merlin's grin widened though he felt butterflies churning in his stomach.

Taking a breath he continued his walk to his best friend's chambers. He jogged down another corridor, passing several other servants who were returning their empty trays of food to the kitchen. One particular boy, manservant to Lord Ulfric, waved to him as he passed.

"Hi Merlin!"

Merlin grinned. "Morning Antony."

"Great day to call a dragon huh?"

Merlin laughed and Antony smiled widely as they lost sight of each other. Then Merlin turned a tight corner only to slam right into someone else. Merlin fell backwards and Gwaine's breakfast went flying. As his eyes glowed a brilliant gold, the food stopped in midair; chicken, bread, and cheese hanging on nothing in the middle of the air, the tray was floating softly a few feet below them.

"Sorry," he muttered rubbing his forehead. He glanced up to see the other man doing the same thing. None other than...

"Gwaine!"

Gwaine himself looked like he'd only just figured out it was Merlin he'd ran into as he broke out into a smile, still rubbing his own head. "Ah, Merlin! Come here often?"

Merlin shook his head disbelievingly and laughed as he stood up. He brushed himself off before offering his hand to Gwaine and helping him regain his own feet. "I was just on my way to your chambers."

He raised his hand, and without his eyes even sparkling gold the tray flew into his open palm, the food resetting itself nicely on the silver platter.

"Hm," Gwaine remarked, "neat trick."

Merlin scoffed and grinned happily before handing the tray to Gwaine who immediately started pecking at the sliced chicken. "I have to go get ready."

"Going to wear your cloak?"

"Of course!"

Gwaine laughed. "I think you might be in love with that thing Merlin!"

"I am not!"

Gwaine raised his eyebrows, his dark brown eyes twinkling with mirth. "Merlin, you put probably dozens of different spells on it _so far_; a shield spell, protection spell, a spell so it doesn't get frayed or torn..."*

Merlin rolled his cerulean colored eyes. "Yeah, ok," he replied sarcastically. He turned and started to walk away when Gwaine called him back.

"See you in the courtyard," he yelled through a mouthful of chicken.

Merlin grinned as he fled to his chambers. Shortly after Arthur had appointed him Court Sorcerer and First Advisor to the King, Arthur had suggested new, larger chambers than his small room in Gaius' chambers. Merlin, though a little nervous at the idea of having his own _tower _and a little homesick from the idea no longer living with his father figure, agreed. Arthur had even given him the west tower, closest to Gaius chambers. Unbeknownst to Arthur, or maybe so, Merlin had been extremely grateful. He hadn't yet moved it yet though. They were still furnishing the large space. All they had in there so far were a large, four-poster bed, some benches and a few empty bookshelves.

Merlin finally found Gaius chambers and flew through the door. He was only slightly surprised to see Gaius himself there, in a clean robe and eating his own breakfast and reading a book.

"Oh, hi Gaius!"

Gaius smirked and got up to give him a quick hug. "Good morning Merlin."

"How'd it go?"

"Everything went fine. Auricha has a new baby girl."

Merlin grinned, now standing at the bottom of the steps that lead to his room. "What's her name?"

"Ysmay," Gaius replied.

Merlin nodded approvingly before heading up to his room. He quickly untied his red neckerchief and peeled off his blue shirt. He replaced his shirt with a higher quality fabric colored a deep purple, and his neckerchief with a silky grey one. Arthur's only rule was that he wore more regal clothing to public happenings, why shouldn't he oblige? He swung the cloak around his shoulders and clasped the merlin designed brooches.

Smiling happily to himself, he looked in the mirror and quickly combed down his raven-black hair with his fingers before flying out the door, his midnight blue cloak billowing out behind him.

It was time to call a dragon.

* * *

*idea taken from CaptainOzone's '_Heart of Gold_'!

Ok...so how was that? *random question* I'm going to be naming these chapters more normally than I did with 'What Happens' and I might go back and re-name those chapters if you guy's think I should...thoughts? I'm also going to be going back and beta-reading a lot of those chapters since I missed so much! ^_^ Yep, that's what happens over the summer guy's...your brain melts..:)

Anyway, the next chapter should be a little easier to write as I have most of it in my head, but I'm not sure when it'll be up because today was the first day of school and I'll have less time, but I'm hoping to be able to update at least once a week!

Thanks for reading and please review!


	3. Glimpses of the Future

Okay... so here's chapter 3! This one's pretty big! Sorry again for taking so long, between school and my cold all I've been doing is coming home and sleeping! But I finally got to write this! Yes! Anyway, special shout out to my beta Nicole who pre-reads all of this! Anwyay, I hope you like it! We get the ceremony and then a twist at the end (I couldn't help myself!)...^^

Disclaimer; IDOM

Allons-y! (also...CAN'T wait for Doctor Who to start)

* * *

_Today you are you_

_That is truer than true_

_There is no one alive_

_That is youer than you._

-Dr. Seuss

* * *

Merlin's deep blue cloak billowed out impressively behind him as he fled down the final staircase, his white staff gripped tightly in his right hand. Surprisingly, Arthur and Guinevere were waiting for him at the bottom of the steps, the door to the courtyard closed for privacy. Both of them wore crowns, and though they were much simpler than those from their coronation, they still professed the King and Queen's' royal standing.

"Finally!" Arthur exclaimed before letting out a falsely irritated breath of air.

Merlin scowled and furrowed his black eyebrows in response. "I'm not_ that _late."

"Introducing _Aithusa_ to _Camelot_, it wouldn't have hurt to be a little _early _Merlin."

"But I'm not late!"

Arthur rolled his ocean-blue eyes and folded his muscular arms across his chest, a nervous smile playing along his lips. "Can we just go? Every citizen of Camelot must be out there!"

Merlin raised his raven eyebrows in surprise and carefully took a step backwards on the step so he was level with the large window. Sure enough, people of all sorts could be seen crowding up to the magical barriers they'd erected especially for this event. Men, women, children, even little ones on the shoulders of their fathers could be seen, not to mention the throngs of people behind them.

"Wow," he muttered, mystified.

Gwen smiled sympathetically at him. She knew he'd be nervous to do this in front of so many people, and by the way he was clenching and unclenching his hand on his staff, it was starting to show through. Especially since Merlin had never been one for crowds due to the fact that he'd been having to hide in the shadows his whole life. Gwen's heart clenched a little and she took a step towards him with an encouraging smirk on her beautiful face, hiding her sympathy. "Come on Merlin."

Merlin looked at her, blue on brown and took courage from the sparkle of love in her chocolate eyes. He breathed a deep, calming breath and jumped back down the stairs smiling. The nervousness was eventually pushed back as excitement took its place in Merlin's stormy blue eyes. He was ready. His friends were at his side after all, where they always would be.

With a snap of his fingers and a laugh from behind him at the movement, the white double doors to the courtyard swung open regally, exposing all three of them at the same time. Arthur and Guinevere smiled at Merlin before starting to walk hand in hand onto the main walkway and down the stairs. Merlin hesitated a second and let them take the lead, staying slightly behind them as a mark of respect for his King and Queen.

Merlin grinned at both the Knights and Gaius -who were lining the railway at the edge of the steps to his right- and received the same smiles, if not more nervous, from them before he faced forwards again. He had to remind himself that Leon, Elyan, and Percival had yet to see a dragon since only himself, Arthur. Gwen, Gwaine, and Gaius ever went to talk to Aithusa and Kilgharrah when they planned this reveal. Merlin smirked in amusement, holding back a chuckle in effort to remain presentable.

Arthur stopped at about the middle of the staircase, acknowledging the Knights and Gaius with a small nod. His golden hair reflected the sunlight and his crown glinted as he let his gaze sweep briefly over the crowd, butterflies stirring in his stomach as he did so. How would they react? Would they panic?

He swallowed and glanced sideways towards his wife. Gwen gave him an encouraging smile and he looked behind him, where Merlin would always be even if he himself protested that he should be _at his side._

_The idiot_, Arthur thought fondly. He looked into Merlin's kaleidoscope eyes and saw their mutual friendship and hope portrayed there. _Ready? _Arthur hoped his eyes displayed the message since he still hadn't gotten the hang of Merlin's _two_-way telepathy quite yet. In turn, Merlin gave him a small nod, understanding without words Arthur's message whilst an amused smile played across his features.

Arthur returned it with a small smirk of his own and turned to let his voice carry across the courtyards, swearing that Merlin was using magic to help amplify it as the crowd slowly quieted their whisperings.

"Citizens of Camelot," he began, "Thank you for gathering here today. As the Court Sorcerer Merlin Emrys calls the dragon, I ask you to please not panic. Aithusa is Camelot's ally, and I can personally guarantee you that he will not harm any of you."

The crowd remained silent and Arthur could almost feel the anticipation coursing through the crowd. Curiosity peeked through their eyes as their faces all showed a slight nervousness and yet excitement through their features and posture.

Arthur glanced over his shoulder and nodded at Merlin. Merlin smirked and took a few more steps down as his staff clicked on the stairs. He walked until he was in front of his King and Queen, on the last step with his midnight cloak splayed out behind him. Resisting the urge to look behind him for encouragement, he took a deep breath through his nose and let his magic fill him. He felt it flowing through his veins and he looked for that ancient connection he shared with the dragons. Feeling that certain warmth, he let his head fall back as he shouted at the sky, "_O drakon, Aithusa, e mala soi ftengometh tesd'hup anankes! Erkheo!"_

He felt Aithusa's presence in the back of his mind, giving him a slight push that confirmed that he'd heard him and was on his way. He turned to Arthur, who only met his eyes briefly as Merlin nodded, telling him Aithusa was coming. Arthur tiled his head forward in acceptance before setting his sky colored eyes curiously on the crowd before him.

Merlin furrowed his eyebrows and followed his line of sight before looked out into the throng of people. He swallowed nervously at what he saw; every citizen present, staring right at him. Their eyes were wide, though Merlin thought not out of fear as much as surprise. As he realized why, he was slightly surprised himself.

In the last two weeks since magic had been free, various people had seen him do magic, but he hadn't ever really used spells, only quick, instinctive magic for a few menial tasks. And besides that, Merlin knew none of them had ever heard a Dragonlord call before. Maybe, _maybe_ a few of the other ones from before the Purge, but then they still hadn't heard it in over twenty-seven years.

He didn't have much more time to ponder over it as a large shape blotted out the sun's yellow light, casting a wild shadow in the middle of the courtyard. The crowd shuffled uneasily as Aithusa circled from up high, letting the people see him before he actually landed. Whispers and shouts erupted from the crowd, 'ooh's' and 'ahh's' being thrown in here and there by people of all ages as they pointed at the sky. Just as they narrowed their eyes against the bright sun to get a better look, the dragon began its graceful descent.

Aithusa's ivory wings beat downwards as he finally slowed himself into a soft landing, sending plumes of dust into the air and sending a tempest of wind in all directions, ruffling clothes and upsetting hair. People shouted in surprise and displeasure and waved their hands in front of their squinted eyes in attempt to clear the dust. Claws like porcelain touched ground and took the young dragons weight as he finally folded his thin wings against his lithe body.

The people quieted as the dust and dirt finally started to settle, and eerie silence filling the crowd as they gaped at Aithusa. He was now a little larger than one of Camelot's finest horse and with the sun glinting off his alabaster scales he looked absolutely breathtaking. Some of the smaller children squealed with delight and Merlin cracked a smile as a few butterflies settled in his stomach. He didn't even need to see Aithusa's slightly twitching tail to tell that the young dragon himself was nervous too.

As the dust completely settled, everyone watched as Aithusa uncharacteristically bowed his head in subservience and respect. Merlin still didn't like Aithusa bowing to him, but they'd decided it would be good for the crowd to see him, a mighty dragon, bow in subservience to his King, Queen, and Dragonlord.

"My Lords," he said, adding "My Lady," for Gwen's sake.

If the crowd had been surprised by his appearance, Merlin thought they were even more surprised by his voice. It was deep like a valley, lightly reverberating like an echo, and yet as soft as the first snowfall of winter. His voice, though still holding that hatchling like enthusiasm for the world, had a surprisingly wizened tone underlining it. Merlin was pleased that, if anything, this unlikely combination seemed to settle the crowd a bit.

The mass of people were still staring at Aithusa curiously as he slowly raised his large head to meet his Dragonlords gaze. Stormy blue met piercing grey and Merlin gave him a small proud smile and an approving nod. He could sense Aithusa's relief through their connection and Merlin tried not to smile wider.

_Good job,_ Merlin praised, projecting his own thoughts at the young dragon. Aithusa smirked before schooling his expression to one of seriousness as Arthur started speaking.

"Aithusa," he started. His voice carried easily, used to having to project his voice over a large audience, regardless of Merlin's help. "You have been called here today to publicly pledge your fealty to your Dragonlord, Merlin Emrys, myself, King Arthur Pendragon, and my wife, Queen Guinevere Pendragon. Do you acknowledge and accept these reasons?"

Aithusa tilted his head. "I do my lord."

With his mask showing complete seriousness and yet with butterflies in his stomach, Arthur turned to Merlin, cueing him to perform the ceremony. He was the Dragonlord after all.

Merlin smirked and turned back to Aithusa, his features now blank and emotionless knowing no one would call him out on the light dancing in his eyes. "Aithusa, do you hereby swear fealty to myself, your King, and your Queen, promising to only use your gifts to help, not hinder, to build, and not to tear down?"

"I do."

"In your service, do you promise to protect Camelot and her citizens as much as you can, even if it means your life?"

"I do."

"And does your guardian, the Great Dragon Kilgharrah, swear his own fealty through you in this ceremony?"

"He does. And though he isn't able to attend this ceremony, he understands, and would give his life for this kingdom in your service my lord, as would I."

Now Merlin smiled outwardly, proudly, and though small, it seemed to infect those around him; Arthur, Gwen, Gaius, the Knights, even some of those gathered behind the barriers were nodding approvingly.

After a moment, Arthur's purposeful voice rang across the clearing once more. "From this day forth, the dragons Aithusa and his guardian Kilgharrah, the Great Dragon, are named allies of Camelot, not to be met with hostility as the customs have been of late, but with friendship and peace, beginning a new era for men and dragons."

Gaius was the first to start clapping, then the Knights, shortly followed by Arthur, Gwen, and Merlin. Soon enough, and surprisingly quickly, the crowd joined in until thunderous clapping filled the air, reminding Merlin of his own public declaration of fealty.

Aithusa smiled, relief and joy abounding in his lithe body, realizing that this was, once again, a turning point. The threads of destiny were weaving tighter, coming closer together, and this was just one more step towards Albion. Towards peace throughout the land. Towards the time of The Once and Future King and Emrys.

Aithusa looked towards Merlin, seeing the same joy reflected in his Dragonlords kaleidoscope blue eyes. Merlin too knew what this meant and in Arthur's own words it was the 'beginning of a new era.' First the release, the _freeing_ of magic and now dragons being reintroduced into the land, who knew what would happen next?

Then the young dragon smiled before narrowing his eyes mischievously like he used to when he was only a hatchling playing tricks on his amused guardian. Merlin furrowed his eyebrows in wonderment and his clapping slowed before Aithusa painted a picture in his mind, explaining his plan. Merlin smiled widely just as Aithusa tilted his head back and let loose a wild jet of flames.

The crowd, stunned, suddenly stopped clapping and gasped in surprise while Merlin's eyes burned a molten gold. He lifted his right hand after switching his staff to his left and took control of the bright flames. By quietly whispering a few choice words, the glowing ball of reds, yellows, and tangerine's transformed into a dragon itself; a head sprouting from the top and large wings unfurling themselves from its small form as the rest of its long body turned into an elongated tail.

The fire dragon danced in the high in the air before Merlin swept his hands toward the ground, making it dive towards the courtyard and then suddenly jerk up before it collided with the dirtied white stone, flames tickling the ground and making the crowd giggle.

Merlin said few more words in the Old Religion and soon the spirited dragon was leaving behind colorful soap-like bubbles in its wake, the afternoon sun making them sparkle like oil as they bobbed in the air.

Merlin flicked his wrist once more and the dragon swept right over the throng of people, making them squeal and duck instinctively as it beat its fiery wings and its lengthened tail swished back and forth behind it.

As soon as the dragon passed them, however, the crowd stood, their eyes locked and laughing as the fire creature swept through another portion of the crowd. Enthusiastic children poked at the colorful spheres, making them explode into glinting, golden sparkles before the specs fell to the ground. Children laughed with unabashed glee as parents chuckled acceptingly.

Then Merlin had the dragon circle Aithusa a few times, leaving oily bubbles surrounding him. Knowingly, the young dragon smirked before spraying a gentle flame on the orbs around him, making them pop in a much grander illusion as the golden specs filled the whole courtyard.

Finally, Merlin controlled the dragon and made him fly straight upwards with its tail slapping the air viciously. It slowly dissipated as ever more golden glitter fell to the Earth, now completely covering the courtyard in a thin blanket.

In a grand finale, with his black hair glinting in the sun against his ecstatic smile and shimmering dreamy blue eyes, Merlin said a spell and threw both of his arms in the air as well as his staff. Obediently, the golden specs suddenly flew into the air, gathering in one center point high above the center of the courtyard.

Merlin's eyes sparkled gold one more time and the glitter suddenly spread out to take the shape of a bowing dragon, Camelot's famous insignia. It shone in the sunlight, golden against the beautiful clear blue sky. The crowd cheered and clapped, laughing as they smiled. Aithusa blew fire over it once more and then the sparkling display was covered in a dazzling flame. The fire flared high in the air before it burned the glitter into nothing, eliminating the grand display and even though it was over, no one's smiled dropped, nor did the clapping or laughing cease.

Merlin smiled widely, taking in everyone's joy before Merlin felt a familiar presence in the corner of his mind. Knowingly, he concentrated on it and completed the telepathic connection he held with Aithusa.

_How was that?_ The young dragon asked smiling.

Merlin grinned wider if possible. _Perfect Aithusa! _

They laughed for a few more moments, drinking in the clapping and the whistles from the crowd before Aithusa said that he should probably be going. Merlin, thinking of how surprisingly protective of Aithusa Kilgharrah was, agreed. They said their farewells in their heads, promising to see each other again shortly before Aithusa spread his alabaster wings, making the crowd clap louder, and took to the sky, wings down-beating as he gained altitude. Aithusa smiled and circled the nearby battlements before flying swiftly off into the distance, soon becoming just a speck of white against the light blue sky.

Merlin released the magical barriers with a flash of his eyes and soon enthusiastic children quickly scrambled from their mothers sides to pounce on any lingering bubbles or glitter, making them pop and release more glitter which they threw into the air until it coated each other's hair. Soon the crowd itself was dissipating, everyone either going home or going back to their afternoon jobs.

Merlin laughed and felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder. He turned on his heel and saw Arthur smiling down at him from a step above, laughter and amusement, as well as approval and brotherly affection shinning in his ocean-blue eyes.

Arthur squeezed his shoulder. "Well done old friend."

Guinevere, standing beside Arthur on his left, quickly agreed. "That was absolutely breathtaking Merlin."

Merlin grinned like an idiot. "Thanks! We thought you might like it."

Arthur's brow furrowed. "We?"

Merlin rolled his cerulean eyes. "Well, it was Aithusa's idea, I just provided the magic."

Arthur scoffed and pulled Merlin's head under his arm, grinding his fist into Merlin's hair while Gwen gently chastised him from the sidelines. Merlin eventually wriggled out, a well-meaning scowl on his face as he rubbed his aggravated scalp and complained. "You prat!"

"Idiot!"

Now Guinevere rolled her own chocolate eyes and looked at the two fondly. They were brothers in all but blood, sibling rivalry included.

"Don't you two ever get along?" A new voice said.

Gwaine sauntered up to the trio, the rest of the Knights and Gaius behind him. The long haired knight slung his arm around Merlin's shoulder playfully as Merlin tapped Arthur's head with his staff.

"Ow!"

"You deserved that you clotpole!"

Arthur scoffed and rubbed his own head. "Fine! How about a truce?"

"Fine!"

"And a trip to the tavern?"

"Gwaine!"

Merlin laughed and smiled with enthusiasm. "Sorry Gwaine, me and Arthur were going to go through more of the vaults."

Arthur smirked. A few days ago, Gaius had come up with the brilliant idea of going through the vaults, seeing what things they could possibly use and what things really were too dangerous and should be left in the vaults. They hadn't gotten very far yet, being too busy planning for all the royal visitors they were having and then with the introduction of Aithusa, but they were determined to go further into the vaults today; it was only late afternoon anyway.

Gwaine rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll take the _Knights_ to the tavern and still put it on the princesses tab!"

Arthur rolled his blue eyes, a fond light in them. "_Not__ too_ big of a tab mind you."

"Yes! Gaius, Gwen, you coming?"

"No Gwaine, not this time," Gaius chuckled. "I need to re-stock my supply."

"And I'll be helping after I make final preparations for Princess Mithian's visit tomorrow." Guinevere added.

"Suit yourself," Gwaine smiled. He pulled his arm off of Merlin's thin shoulders and jumped down the final step before he started lazily walking towards the Rising Sun.

"Leon, you're in charge," Arthur added.

Gwaine groaned and turned around. "You really are a prat you know that?"

Arthur grinned and shrugged his shoulders.

Gwaine threw his arms up in exasperation before continuing his walk to the tavern, Leon, Percival, and Elyan following him. "See you guy's later!"

Merlin smiled with amusement before calling, "Bye," after him. He then turned back around and faced Arthur with an excited bounce in his stance. "Vaults?"

Arthur's eyes glinted with brotherly love at Merlin's enthusiasm. "Sure."

"Well have fun," Gaius commented. He and Gwen quickly pulled him into an affectionate hug, still filled with the excitement from the ceremony, before they both left for the Court Physicians chambers.

"Wait! Gaius!" Merlin called. He quickly jumped to them as they reached the stone statues at the top of the steps. "Can you take my staff to my room?"

Gaius smirked as he took the white spiraled rod. "What about your cloak?"

Merlin looked genuinely confused. "What? No, I'm still wearing that!"

His guardian laughed with knowing amusement before he and the Queen disappeared into the castle. Merlin turned back towards Arthur and hopped childishly down the stairs to where the King was standing.

"You really love that cloak don't you?" He asked sarcastically.

Merlin scoffed and rolled his stormy blue eyes. "Maybe… Come on, let's go already!"

He turned and started walking towards the door behind the stairs, the alternate entrance to the vaults. Arthur, rolling his own eyes and with a smile on his face, followed his friend, his own cloak billowing out impressively behind him. They took a few more stairs downwards, a few more turns and soon Arthur was sticking the key into the vault door, excusing the guards, and then locking the door behind both of them. He stuck his torch in one of the empty holders on the wall as his hair flashed gold.

"Let's go further in the back," Merlin suggested excitingly. The only sign that Arthur was following him was his amused laugh echoing around the room.

His cloak billowed out around him as he turned another corner. He didn't hear Arthur anymore and guessed that he must have found something interesting to stare at… again. He was about to roll his eyes at nothing when he felt a slight pulling in the back of his mind. His throat closed up and his nostrils flared in recognition. Warily, he turned to the side, seeing exactly what he knew he would. The Crystal of Neatid.

He'd forgotten all about it. He should have remembered that it was down here! The few other times he'd been down here, they hadn't nearly come this far. He hadn't felt anything... And feeling that pull in the back of his mind now…

No. He couldn't. His mind replayed what happened last time. But… he also felt that need that he'd felt when he'd been with Taliesin. The last time he's felt it, he didn't know what it meant; now he could identify it. The crystal was trying to tell him something. It _wanted_ him to look. But... he shouldn't. He thought about calling Arthur... but no... but... should he?

Merlin cautiously stepped forward, feeling the Crystal's presence becoming his foremost thought. Should he really do this? He could feel himself start to shiver as his nostrils flared once more and he took another step closer towards the red-pillowed podium where it sat. A pit of anxiousness settled in his stomach as he finally hovered over the crystal.

Almost immediately images started bombarding his mind…

A whirlwind, grey and steady, spiraling upwards.

Doors to the Throne room opening, revealing Arthur and Gwen sitting in their thrones, Knights and Gaius on the sidelines looking shocked… different?

A flash of him and Kilgharrah standing in their normal meeting place; the field outside Camelot.

"Merlin?"

A glimpse of a familiar face, aged, but still young. A Druid. Mordred.

A despairing feeling coursed through him and he saw himself weeping over someone, clutching a bleeding body to his chest as tears streamed down his face in earnest.

He saw himself once more, lying unconscious on is bed, a calming presence in the room.

"Merlin?"

Something changed; the images were coming faster now, growing in strength and speed as if the crystal knew how much time they had left and wanted him to see it all. Merlin's eyes widened on impulse as his nostrils flared.

The battlements.

A council meeting.

Princess Mithian.

Morgana.

"Merlin!"

A blood red, smoke filled sky.

Weeping.

_"Merlin!"_

The roaring of dragons.

Despair.

Death.

The images were very suddenly brought to a stop as a white cloth was suddenly brought over the crystal. The visions fled from Merlin's mind as fast as he'd seen them and he squeezed his eyes tightly shut against a wave of nausea. He instinctively tried to recall some of the images but found he could only recall a few even though he still held the overwhelming feelings that had been intertwined in the images.

He stumbled backwards a few steps before Merlin felt strong hands gripping his biceps, pulling him forwards in a tight embrace and stopping him from falling backwards. He could feel himself shivering, could feel how short his breath was and the dampness of his cheeks. But what had caused it he couldn't remember; the link had been broken too abruptly.

"Merlin, what happened?" The voice was tense and sincerely concerned, slowly changing to a more soothing tone as circles were rubbed into his back through his cloak. "Merlin, you're alright, I promise. It's over. Merlin..."

His body shook and his eyes clenched shut as he tried to focus on his breathing, having the same stunning effect as the last time he'd looked into crystals in the Crystal Cave. But last time he'd been alone. Now he had a friend.

"A-Arthur," his voice cracked as he let out a shaky breath. He opened his eyes and found himself kneeling on the floor -when had that happened?- gazing into Arthur's cloaked shoulder.

Arthur slowly pulled him back, holding his shoulders as they looked into each other's faces. Merlin was met with steady calm features and concerned, worried eyes. Arthur was met with film covered, wild eyes and a confused face.

"Merlin...," Arthur tried. Was it like this the other times he'd looked into the crystals? Did this always happen? Was it _supposed to happen? _Arthur didn't know, he hadn't been there the other times but at least he was here now. "What happened?"

"I...," his voice broke as he tried to gather his thoughts, tried to reign in the overwhelming emotions that came from half-remembered visions. "I-I... I don't know... It just kind of... c-called me... I can't explain it..."

"Called you?"

"Yes... it was like... it was like it _wanted_ to show me something... I couldn't resist it..."

"It's ok... it's over now." Arthur really didn't want to do this but he had to know, for both their sakes. For something to rile Merlin up like this had to be important. "What did you see?"

Merlin shook his head vigorously. "I don't know...," he wasn't completely lying. "There was so much Arthur... I-..."

Arthur pulled him closer once more, mentally berating himself. He could only imagine what Merlin had seen. He should have been faster! "_Darn_ it Merlin. I'm so sorry, this is my fault. I should have remembered."

Merlin stayed silent and worked on his breathing. It wasn't Arthur's fault. He knew it, but he also knew there was no way he'd convince his King otherwise. He closed his eyes and took a deep, calming breath, letting it out shakily before pulling back and opening his eyes.

"Are you alright?" Arthur asked without thinking.

Merlin swallowed and nodded, rubbing the bridge of his nose and at the lingering water in his cerulean eyes. "Yeah... I'm fine."

Arthur squeezed his shoulders, easily seeing through Merlin's weakest lie. "No you're not and don't say you are. What'd you see Merlin?"

Merlin shook his head again; not exactly meeting Arthur's piercing blue eyes. "I... don't know... The connection was broken too abruptly... I can't remember it all... I... I don't want to talk about it... not yet... Alright?"

Arthur tried to look Merlin in the eye, but the other man wouldn't look at him. He sighed, "Alright... but Merlin, promise me that you'll tell me eventually... You don't have to do this alone."

He got a, if not reluctant, nod from Merlin and some of the anxiousness in Arthur's own stomach settled. Smiling to lighten the mood, Arthur let his hands fall from Merlin's shoulders before he helped a shaky friend to his feet. He jerked his thumb behind him to the stand with the covered crystal. "Isn't there some spell or something to make it stop... doing whatever it does?"

Merlin scoffed and rolled his blue eyes in light amusement. "I don't know!"

Arthur's eyes hardened a little, a more serious note taking place in them. "I'm going to talk to Gaius about that. Seriously, if that happens every time you_ look _into that thing Merlin."

Merlin's own eyes softened a bit in brotherly affection. "Thanks Arthur... I'm just glad you were here."

Arthur clapped Merlin on the shoulder. "Me too."

He turned around, using his whole body to cover the short podium where the crystal rested and folded the thick cloth completely around it. He shoved it in the drawstring bag beside it and then tied it to his belt. Finally, Arthur turned around and saw Merlin staring sideways at the floor, his eyes glazed over in deep thought. Arthur knew exactly what he was thinking about. _Oh Merlin..._

"Coming?"

Merlin flinched in surprise and flicked his head over to Arthur, eyes glinting in recognition. "Hm? Um, no, I think I'll stay... It might be better..."

Arthur eyebrows scrunched in confusion before he thought it out. He was taking the Crystal of Neatid to Gaius... so he can _examine_ it... in the open... completely uncovered. Right.

He nodded in understanding. "And Gaius won't be affected by it?

Merlin shook his head and chuckled. "No, his magic isn't strong enough. As far as we know I'm the only one affected by it."

Arthur winced, a motion that wasn't overseen by Merlin though he didn't call him out on it.

"I'll be back."

Merlin nodded and turned sideways, gazing at something on the shelf behind him. "Alrighty then," he grinned.

Arthur rolled his sky-blue eyes at Merlin's attempt to shrug it off before smirking and turning around, taking his leave. "And for heaven's sakes Merlin, be careful!"

He could hear Merlin laughing as he turned the corner, disappearing in the maze before Merlin heard the squeak of the vault door and the resounding click of the lock.

Curiously, Merlin jogged to the corner and peeked around it, his cerulean eyes hardening with hazy determination as the torchlight glinted off his onyx colored hair. Confirming that Arthur was really gone, his midnight blue cloak swished around him and dragged on the floor as he went further back into the vaults, following the heavy presence of strong magic pulling him forwards.

* * *

Arthur reached the Court Physician's chambers without incident, and pushed open the light door. He wasn't overly surprised to see his wife sitting on one of the benches with paperwork stacked in front of her, she often liked to keep Gaius company. Gaius himself was perched over a mortar and pestle, grinding who knows what into a fine, purplish powder as he looked at a list of ingredients behind the large bowl.

The clicking of the door shutting seemed to awaken them both as they looked up from their work with curious eyebrows and they're eyes focused on their visitor. Gwen was the first to see the underlining concern behind Arthur's eyes.

"Arthur? What's wrong?"

Gaius picked up on it too and tilted his head. "Are you alright?"

Arthur nodded, blinking tiredly. "Yes, I'm alright... It's Merlin."

Guinevere took a worrying step towards her husband. "What happened? Is he ok?"

"He says he is... but," Arthur reached into his jacket pocket and brought out the leather drawstring bag. He unlaced it and slid the Crystal of Neatid from its white cover. "He had a run-in with this..."

Gaius and Guinevere pulled in a sharp breath and Gaius took the crystal in his hands, examining its surface. "What? What happened?" He asked sharply.

Arthur stumbled for an answer and hastily came up with the only answer he could. "I-I don't know. I left him alone for a second and when I found him he was staring into it... I threw the cloth over it when I couldn't get his attention and the connection was broken I guess."

Gaius looked at Arthur's sincere face before nodding. "Yes that would have happened..."

Gwen looked pensive. "...And how was Merlin."

Arthur's eyes softened at the memory. "Well... he was a bit shaken up by it all..." He left out when Merlin started crying from images no one else could see as a personal favor to him. He knew his friend wouldn't want them worrying anymore than they already would be. "But he seemed fine when I left."

"He's still in the vaults?" Guinevere asked surprised.

Arthur nodded. "Like I said, he seemed fine..."

"Arthur," Gaius interrupted, "we both know how well trained Merlin is at hiding his pain, both physical and emotional."

Arthur flinched, a flash of fear passing over his eyes as he nodded guiltily. "Do... I mean... do you know what he could have seen?"

Gaius sighed and set the crystal on the table behind him. "I dread to think what Merlin might have seen. Crystals can show the past, present... future, like with the other times. And they're also very treacherous. I'm afraid Merlin could have seen anything sire."

Arthur let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. So no luck there.

"Has Merlin said anything?"

"No Gwen... He said he didn't want to talk about it yet..."

"That's only normal," Gaius commented, "he was no doubt overwhelmed by the visions."

Arthur nodded. "I actually came here to see if there was possibly a way to stop these visions from happening..."

Gaius looked thoughtful for a moment before his hand rose to his head and his eyes shut suddenly.

Arthur and Gwen were both at his side in and instant. "What's wrong?"

Gaius, still holding his head as he fought off the dizzy spell, shook his head. "I don't know..."

Suddenly, the very castle shook on its foundation. Bottles rattled around the room, some vibrating themselves off the table to shatter loudly against the wooden floor and the pain in Gaius head sharpened in unison.

Gwen clutched Arthur's arm as he grabbed Gaius, keeping him from falling. "What's going on?" She shrieked.

No one answered; no one knew... And suddenly it stopped... And suddenly Gaius knew.

"Merlin!"

It wasn't a normal headache he'd felt. It was a warning. A warning that something was happening to magic... to the most important figure in the history of magic... to Emrys... to Merlin. A warning that everyone with magic could feel.

Arthur, completely on high alert, grabbed the old man's shoulders in both an effort to steady him and get his attention and was succeeded when wild grey-blue eyes met his own bright blue eyes. "What about Merlin?"

Gaius looked shaken and his voice shook as he shouted, "Go! Something's happened! Go Arthur!"

Arthur, with one last look at a worried Gwen, fled the scene, leaving his wife to assist Gaius to the patient's bed. He left the door open behind him and fled down the corridor, cloak whipping out behind him, not even touching the floor in his speed. He bounded down a flight of stairs, sending already frightened servants skittering towards the wall but Arthur didn't care. All he could think about was Merlin. _Faster!_

He finally reached the courtyard and hurtled down those steps, almost tripping until he reached the bottom. Out of the corner of his eye, his mind registered overturned carts, dumped crops and people helping each other up but nothing stayed and his feet only gained speed.

"Hey princess, what the heck was that?!" Gwaine shouted, holding a tankard of ale in his hand. Later on, Arthur would wonder how he was able to sneak it out and what he was doing out of the tavern in the first place but his mind was too focused. He barely slowed as he passed the roguish knight, one word making his lips part, "Merlin."

And immediately completely sober Gwaine dropped, yes _spilled_ the rest of his mead on the white stones of the courtyard as his own feet picked up speed. He flew after his King, mind racing possibilities. Merlin. Earthquake. Arthur. Merlin. Danger.

They finally reached the vaults after what seemed like forever and Arthur's hand fumbled for his keys. He cursed himself for locking the door at all and missed the lock several times as his hand shook before the key was finally inserted into the lock. He shoved the door open, leaving the key and rushed further into the room. He could hear Gwaine's footfalls behind him and he suddenly stopped at the shelf he'd last seen Merlin picking at.

_Where...?_

His hunting skills instinctively came into play and he looked for any sign that would tell them where Merlin was. A footprint here. A swoosh of a cloak there.

"This way!"

They took only a few more turns before the tracks stopped beside a pushed aside bookshelf. Arthur grabbed the back and pushed it open a little more. A hidden room? Merlin...

He could hardly see anything and backtracked for a torch. Arthur ran back to find that Gwaine had pushed it open even further and was squinting his eyes against the dust that flew out of the room.

"Come on," Arthur stated as he passed Gwaine. Taking no heed for his own safety, Arthur entered the room, squinting his own eyes as dirt swirled around the room. The torchlight wavered but didn't go out and Arthur walked, more cautiously, further into the room. He couldn't tell how large it was because of the dust-storm but guessed it wasn't overly large.

His foot caught on something and Arthur kneeled to look at it, feeling Gwaine's knees rub against his back as the knight peered over his shoulder.

Arthur's eyes skimmed the piece of fabric, immediately recognizing it. Deep blue in the torchlight, immaculately clean despite the dust thanks to a variety of spells, and specialized merlin brooches around the neck. Merlin's cloak.

Arthur's pulse instantaneously spiked as he clutched the fabric in his hands, Gwaine and his own shouting mixing together and echoing across the room.

"Merlin!"

They screamed until their throats were raw from yelling and tears were coming down their faces in deep desperation.

But there was no reply... No answering laugh to mock them playfully for their tears... No witty retort and dancing stormy blue eyes... Not even a steady hand and a comforting voice telling them everything was alright... Nothing.

Because there was no one _to_ reply to them.

Because he was gone.

Merlin was gone.

* * *

Diiiiiddddd you like it? Love it? :D First I couldn't figure out how to end it because it was only five pages and then decided to just go into the main plot line already! *cheers* So yep! :D I also hope you liked the descriptions of the fire-dragon and stuff. Sorry if it wasn't clear enough and I hoped the details helped! And the angst? Hmm? the bromance? Hmmmmm? I can't think of anything else to add so please review!

Oh, one more thing, I can't guaruntee when the next chapter will be up because of school and homework, but I've gotten into a pretty good habit of writing it down on paper in study hall and then typing it when I get home (the school's computer's are way too slow)! Also, I'm going back and betaing 'What Happens' for grammer and spelling stuff... as well as some details from the prologue! So, it shouldn't be any longer than two weeks. If it is, feel free to give me a little push in a message! XD Thanks! Next we go back to Merlin's view of what happened!...and then we get into the prologue I think...*hint, hint!*


	4. Anniversary

YES! I finally finished it! Ok, so I've been working on this for last seven hours (only doing the _last_ section), more or less, beccause I swear, I am so ADD that one thing draws my attention and I get distracted and forget about the chapter I'm trying to finish before I go to bed! Geez! Anyway, here's the next chapter! YAY! The quote I thought went well with Merlin in general... there was another one but I decided to use that for another chapter! I really wanted to tell you guy's something else but I can't remember what! Grrr! Oh, new Doctor Who tomorrow! ;)

Disclaimer; IDOM

Enjoy!

* * *

_Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same. _

-Flavia Weedn_, Forever_

* * *

Merlin felt a pit of anxiety sharpen in his stomach as he took another step forward, feeling that same presence pounding in the back of his mind. This hadn't ever happened before. He'd never felt such magic. It was true that even now he was still learning, but all magic had a certain sense of familiarity , all linked somehow, but this felt different... almost detached from the rest of the world. It was ancient and new, cold and warm, so... different from anything he'd experienced. And it was calling to him.

He walked further down the path, eyes glancing at everything to try and find the source of the presence. There was no harm in investigating, right? It wasn't like he planned on _doing_ anything with whatever he found. Just observations and then report back to Arthur and Gaius, between the three of them they could probably figure out what it was.

Merlin came to an intersection of paths and narrowed his kaleidoscope eyes thoughtfully as he considered where to go. He swirled his raven colored head around and experimenting, took a few steps to the left. Sensing the connection become weaker, he stepped to his right. A veil was uncovered in his mind and he instinctively followed the path it led him on.

His cloak brushed against several stands and the dirt-covered floor as he turned another corner, his eyes flashing with a mixture of curiosity, caution, and wariness. He could feel himself getting closer, the presence becoming clearer.

Merlin felt a sudden tug on his mind as he passed a large bookshelf. It was there. He quickly backtracked, his mind racing with possibilities. He let his squinted eyes rove the shelves before he began to touch things and move the sundry items around; a vase here, a few book there, but nothing called out to him.

Sighing in disappointment, he placed a book back on the shelf and as his hand briefly brushed against the back of the shelf the presence in his mind suddenly spiked and sent a wave of pain shooting through his mind from his hand. He gave a short cry of alarm and winced as he quickly pulled back his hand, rubbing a throbbing spot on his knuckles.

Merlin walked back towards the torch on the wall a few feet behind him to inspect the damage. To his surprise, there was none, not so much as a red blemish. _But... _He cocked his head in bewilderment and walked back towards the bookshelf. On a whim, he moved some of the smaller things aside and laid his palm flat against the cold wood towards the back, blue eyes closed in concentration as he let his magic explore the shelf.

He sucked in a sharp breath through his nose as his eyes snapped open suddenly. _There._ He felt stronger magic _on the other side_ of the bookcase. _It's _behind _it. _

Furrowing his eyebrow in bewilderment, he stepped a few feet from the bookshelf, thinking what to do. He could easily move the bookshelf. Not _physically_, he smirked to himself, thinking of Arthur. But with _magic _it would be easy enough.

_If I could just..._

Merlin swept back his dark cloak and pulled his arm away from his side so that his open palm faced one side of the bookshelf. His eyes burned a mixed gold and he slowly swept his hand aside. He opened a small crack, just large enough for him to wriggle through but small enough not to be seen easily in case a curious guard passed by.

Once inside the room another shard of pain increased his headache and his hand went to his forehead. He was definitely in the right place... but he couldn't see anything. All he saw was pitch blackness, like a dark mist has settled in the room.

Coughing and resisting the urge to sneeze, he conjured up a bright ball of light and threw it into the air. Instantly the room was lit, sharp shadows being cast around the room's sparse furnishings; a few pots, more shelving, nothing particularly interesting but all particularly old. He coughed again as the smell of mold and mildew reached his nose and played against his throat. Merlin was correct in that it wasn't very big, maybe a bit smaller than the King's own chambers, but the ceiling was much higher and the room was circular, not separated into conjoined rooms by pillars like the rooms in the castle.

But then there was the magic... It lay thickly in the air, the very smell of it lingering within the specs of dust that Merlin's boots had stirred. It was absolutely magnificent and definitely old. But a good kind of old.

With a smile on his face and eyes dancing, he stepped further into the room, his cloak stirring up even more dust until he reached the middle. He let his gaze sweep around the room, blinking and drinking in the smell of magic... when the floor began to shift.

Merlin eyes widened in alarm and he gave a short cry of surprise as his feet shifted. _What?_

As it was, if the dust hadn't been laying so thickly around the circular room, Merlin might have noticed the deep runes carved into the floor in a circular design, layer upon layer, that held the very magic he'd been feeling... and now they were glowing a bright blue.

The runes were set in different platforms and as soon as they started glowing, each of the separate platforms began to rise and then sink again, grinding against each other as they began to spin, starting slow and building in their momentum until the friction became so great that Merlin could feel a spark in the very air.

_"What?!"_ Merlin shouted to himself over the grinding floor. His pulsed raced and he shifted his feet in effort to keep his balance as they earthquake grew stronger. What was going on? He was sure all of Camelot could feel the earth shaking and he was almost knocked off his feet again as a larger wave forced its way through the earth.

Soon it joined by a strong tempest of wind. It swirled around him, starting at his feet and soon building up towards the rest of his body, dragging up thick dust and dirt from the floor to create a strong grey cyclone that hissed as it whipped through the air. It tugged at his black hair and made his clothes whip savagely in the strong whirlwind.

The earth shattered again and the wind was suddenly twirling so fast that Merlin put his hands on his throat, starting to panic from lack of breathable oxygen. His head felt hollow and heavy at the same time. Merlin felt his cloak ripped viciously off him, the clip from the silver brooches tearing painfully across his throat until they snapped, the blue fabric disappearing somewhere in the underground tornado.

Merlin coughed and suddenly a rush of bright light emanated from the floor, pulsing upwards, so bright that Merlin closed his eyes against it as a loud piercing sound began, emanating from the floor. Merlin screamed as a shard of pain stabbed through him, the last of his breath leaving him as one more wave of harsh light tore through the air...

...And then it was over.

* * *

Merlin woke as a sudden twitch that echoed through his body. He sucked in a quick breath as he slowly regained consciousness. The first thing he was aware of was a pounding headache and a dizziness that almost overwhelmed him as his brain spun.

_What happened? _There was no way he'd been drunk, the last thing he remembered was being in the vaults with Arthur...

He groaned and pushed back a wave of nausea as he slowly climbed onto his hands and knees, taking a moment get blood pulsing through his body again before he attempted standing.

He let out a deep sigh as he rolled backwards, folding his knees beneath him until he was kneeling. He ran his hands through his coal colored hair and rubbed his face as he opened his blue eyes for the first time... or thought he opened his eyes.

Merlin couldn't see anything. Everything was pitched black and no matter how many time he blinked, or how many times he ground his fists into his eyes changed that. _Where?_

He felt his pulse quicken in panic as he quickly scampered to his feet, tipping backwards as a wave of dizziness clouded his brain, making him shut his eyes.

_Breathe Merlin. _He took a deep breath through his nose and out his mouth, slowly reopening his eyes in the total darkness again. _Ok... ok..._

He turned around, looking for even a sliver of light after searching through squinted eyes he finally found one. _There!_ It was nothing more than a small crack and Merlin stumbled to it, trying to keep his footing as his nausea became worse.

Merlin reached out his hands and found the wall, but it wasn't what he expected it to be... It was wooden. He slowly ran his hand across the surface, feeling the cold, slightly damp wood beneath his fingertips.

Something picked at his brain, something he'd been doing... but the more he tried to focus on it the more the fog grew in his mind. _No!_ Merlin groaned in frustration and he pushed against the wall, bracing his shoulder and digging his feet into the ground. Nothing.

Letting out an exasperated breath, he stepped back and flung his hand out. Suddenly, with a flick of his fingers and a flash of golden iris', the wall slid open, the bottom of the wooden structure dragging across the dirt floor.

Merlin coughed as the dirt flew into the air, aggravating his sinuses and making his headache pound against his skull painfully. He stumbled out, hand lingering on the wall as his eyes adjusted to the sudden light given by the torch on the wall.

Merlin knew where he was; the Vaults... He'd been inspecting... the images rushed from his head as his sense adjusted. The very air smelled like mildew and mold, _age_. He heard voices... someone, no, _two_ whispering voices. Arthur?

He closed his eyes and ground his fists into his eyes in effort to clear his mind. Unfortunately, that didn't work and all he could do was focus on the voices as he stumbled down the hallway, kicking up dust and scuffing his boots along the wall.

"Shh! Listen Abigail!"

"There's nothing there Gavin... You're just being paranoid."

The sound of porcelain clinking together.

"Oh, yeah then what was that earthquake about, hm?"

"It was probably just natural... Again, paranoid!"

"I am _not._ Father told me to always be alert."

The sound of a heavy object being dragged onto a shelf as it grinded the wood.

"_Gavin, _we're not reliving one of his stories and plus-."

Merlin rounded the corner, his eyesight hazy and his brain foggy. "Hello?"

He heard the surprised squeals of two children and saw them a few feet in front of him, fumbling through some shelves of ancient artifacts. A young girl with bright blonde hair that was plaited down her thin back. Her dazzling blue eyes were in stark contrast with her cream colored nightgown and too-big brown boots. Then there was a young boy with dark brown hair and warm forest green eyes. He was also in his nightclothes by the look of it; white trousers with a white tunic and... an oversized brown vest. He looked almost like... And she...

Merlin shook his head and blinked rapidly in effort to clear the haze that pushed at his thoughts. Why were there children in the vaults? Who let them in? Merlin was sure he'd heard Arthur lock the door behind him... and then there were the guards at the entrance.

"Who are you?" he asked, his voice crackly from the dusk he'd breathed in. He swallowed heavily and found that his mouth was completely dry. "How'd you get in here?"

Both the boy and girl looked a bit taken aback at both his tone and the questions and after narrowing their eyes at him uncertainly, sizing him up before they bravely stepped forward as if to meet an opponent's challenge.

"I'm Gavin," the boy said briskly, "and this is Abigail."

"_Princess_ Abigail."

Gavin rolled his jade eyes while Merlin's brain swirled... _What?_ He felt worse than ever and black spots played at the edge of his vision. He tried to blink it away and found himself leaning against the wall with his shoulder growing cold from the contact with stone. Merlin ran his hand through his raven-black hair and felt bend backwards so it stuck up unnaturally.

"You're not a princess _yet_ Abigail."

Abigail just huffed in disagreement before folding her arms in front of her lithe body. Gavin shook his head in exaggerated annoyance and turned back to the newcomer.

"What's your name?" he asked curiously, perking up his eyebrows. Then, seeing the tall man's condition and his exceedingly pale face in the already dim torchlight, his voice changed from curiosity to that of concern as his brow furrowed and he took a step forward. "Hey mate you don't look so good."

Merlin, whose mind was still trying to process the first question, tried to get out his name. "I'm... I'm... M-Mer..."

Suddenly Merlin pitched forward, startling Gavin as he squealed and jumped back. Gavin's eyes, to Merlin's great surprise, flashed the color of molten gold, a deep flaxen color swirling with the rest of the various hues and slowing his descent, making him land on his back instead of his face. Heavy eyelids threatened to overtake him as he breathed in more of the dust he'd stirred up.

He tried to pick himself up, feeling a small hand on his arm before he fell back towards the ground. Blood roared heavily in his ears, beginning to muffle the concerned shouts of the two children. Merlin felt that small yet comforting hand on his back, a surprisingly familiar musk coming from the boy slowly calming him as he drifted towards unconsciousness.

The last thing Merlin heard before he lost all track of thoughts and slipped into a deep sleep was the pitter-patter of small feet running away, only one pair, and a young girl yelling, "Guards! Guards!"

* * *

Arthur walked leisurely through the lower town, clearing his head in the cool night air while a small breeze tickled his neck. He loved this time of night. It was still a few hours before midnight but already the full, brilliantly ivory moon hung in the sky, stars scattered everywhere, and together, they cast a delicate and ethereal glow upon everything that wasn't already claimed by dark shadows.

He ran his hand through his hair, sliding his hand above his ear and recalling Guinevere's earlier teasing's about how his golden head was sprouting silver at his temples. Arthur smiled to himself as he took a deep breath and a small familiar ache settled in his stomach. Merlin used to always tease him about things like that...

He'd been gone for nearly twelve years now and yet even the man's _name_ still haunted him through his every waking hour and even beyond that and into his dreams. Gaius had said that he was probably more affected by Merlin's... absence than anyone else because of the special connection he'd had with him, but it didn't matter: Merlin was still gone...

Arthur's boots kicked the stone sprinkled ground, making one such rock bounce off of one the wooden stands that lined the long walls as the entrance to the courtyard. Thinking about _him_ always made him depressed, his mind ebbing towards earlier times when his best friend was still at his side, vowing to never leave. But then... he did.

Arthur chastised himself for thinking that. Merlin would never leave of his own initiative! His mind pulsed back to the last day he'd seen his lanky warlock, each and every moment burnt into his memory as he recalled every detail, every image, every scent. He even remembered the stupid grey neckerchief and the purple tunic he'd worn -his favorite combination he'd said- especially with both so contrasted against his deep blue cloak. Guinevere favored it too.

That had been the day that they'd introduced Aithusa to Camelot. After that they'd gone to the Vaults, Merlin had looked into the Crystal of Neatid, Arthur had left to speak to Gaius, and Merlin just... disappeared. All that he and Gwaine had been able to find was their friends favorite cloak.

They still hadn't found out what happened to him, never had any sort of closure. There hadn't even been a _body _to burn. _Nothing..._

_Stop!_ Arthur yelled at himself. He stopped walking as he leaned against one of the creaky stalls, feeling a headache coming on. He had to stop thinking about it. Twelve years later and it was still snatching his time. He remembered Gaius nudging him at _several_ council meetings because his mind had started drifting to old memories... old memories of him and his best friend doing something idiotic together, hunting with the Knights, taking back Camelot from one sorcerer or another, always together, always _united_. Until that day...

It was actually the anniversary, today was... which might be why Arthur had taken this walk in the first place, needing to clear his mind from the emotions entangled with this day. Arthur sighed as a certain distinguishable liquid pressed against his eyes. He shouldn't feel like this, not after _twelve_ years. It was like he was still grieving.

But of course he was, everyone still was. That was why he'd given the Knights the day off, why he was walking, why Guinevere was talking with Gaius -who always took this time of the year particularly hard-, and why the Knights, as far as he knew, were still gathered in his chambers, waiting for him, and reminiscing about you know who, probably to be joined by their Queen and Court Physician soon enough.

Arthur rubbed the bridge of his nose before he saw the tell-tale flickering of a torch coming his way, and where there was light, there was a guard. And he really didn't feel like facing anyone at the moment. He flicked up the hood on his cloak and turned around before he started walking in the opposite direction.

Unfortunately, he didn't have a choice as the guard spotted him and yelled, "Stop!"

Arthur rolled his ocean-blue eyes and stopped, weighing the options of running away from the guard and causing an incident in which the warning bell would be tolled and he would have to be called in anyway to make plans to catch this mysterious person stalking through the lower town of Camelot... Or just turning around and revealing his identity.

Sighing in exasperation and tasting something sour in his mouth, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath as the footfalls of an armored guard stopped behind him.

"Reveal yourself," he ordered regally, and Arthur had to wonder if he would always be caught when he walked through the lower town. _Every time!_ How did Merlin do it without _ever_ getting caught? Merlin...

Arthur Pendragon slowly, reluctantly, turned around and lowered the brown hood of the cloak he'd had forever. Blond hair, a tanned face, and brilliant blue eyes were revealed, clearly identifying him as King Arthur.

The guard nearly sucked in a breath of surprise and lowered his head in respect. Arthur hated that. "I'm sorry my lord."

Arthur could only nod back, "No harm done." A regular routine for him now.

The guard stepped back and raised his head before nodding at his King and continuing his patrol. Soon enough, the guard rounded a corner and Arthur took a deep breath, the cold night air doing wonders for his lungs and successfully -well, halfway- clearing his aching head.

Arthur tilted his head back as he took another breath, as if lifting his head to the sky would bring him more peace and provide him with more comforting air. Arthur slowly opened his sparkling eyes and faced the open sky, just looking up at the moon and the stars... like he used to do with Merlin on long hunting trips when they'd be sleeping on opposite sides of the glowing fire, talking openly about any and all subjects and knowing that their brotherly companion wouldn't judge them in the least.

He only allowed one crystal clear tear to fall as his nostrils flared and he took in a breath through his nose, smothering a sob that threatened to be released. He shook his head, sniffing as he rubbed his face vigorously. Arthur, with a small self-loathing feeling pricking at him for feeling so vulnerable, continued his walk towards the castle when a slight rumbling filled the earth.

Arthur scrunched his eyebrows in confusion and stumbled into a grey stone wall on his right, grabbing onto an out jutting stone as his feet wobbled. The sensation quickly passed but Arthur couldn't help but think back to that day twelve years ago... Earthquakes were scarce in Camelot, and that fateful day was the last time they'd had one. But... no... there couldn't have been a connection.

He shook his head again and looked around. Some of the rickety stalls had collapsed but as far as he could see there wasn't any major damage; no fires, no one screaming. The stalls were easily replaceable, people weren't.

But what about the rest of Camelot? Turning around once more towards the courtyard, he half sped-walked and half-jogged through the main gates. He did a quick turnabout to see that there wasn't much damage here either, only a few overturned carts.

He jogged up the main steps with his brown cloak billowing out behind him, Arthur, when he'd reached the decorative doors, turned left and took the stairs two at a time. His boots clicked on the stone floor as he finally reached his chambers, quickly flinging the cloak onto his bed and splashing some water on his face to make sure no one would be able to tell he'd been crying.

Then he grabbed his kite embroidered red vest and slung it over his broad shoulders to cover his red tunic. After that, he left his room again, this time headed for the Throne Room where he knew his wife would be. He knew that she'd been with Gaius, but after that earthquake, she'd, with such a caring heart, would want to know what happened as much as he.

Arthur stretched out his hand on the wall, letting the tips of his fingers drag against the cold stone as he navigated his way down corridors and around turns, reminding him of his childhood when he'd do the same, letting his father lead him to his first ever council meeting.

He finally reached the Throne Room and upon seeing the King, the guards loyally opened the large double-doors for him, allowing him entrance. He nodded his thanks and sauntered into the large room, seeing not only his wife but also two guards, Abigail, and Gavin, both of whom were supposed to be sound asleep in their beds.

Scrunching his eyebrows in slight confusion, he walked closer to them. "What happened?"

"Daddy!" a high pitched voice squealed.

Arthur couldn't help but smile and kneel as his daughter ran into him. He hugged her and lifted her so that he sat on his hip with her small arms slung around his neck.

"Hello Uncle Arthur," Gavin smirked, staying loyally beside his queen.

"Hello Gavin," he replied.

When he finally reached his wife, he noticed she was frowning thoughtfully _at him_. Arthur inwardly sighed. Despite rinsing his face, she could still see behind the mask he'd put up, she always could.

Brushing against his arm, she asked in a concerned voice, "Are you ok?"

Arthur nodded and cleared his throat. "Fine." He knew his voice had betrayed him when Guinevere's eyes softened further. Arthur, feeling a pit in his stomach again, turned towards the guards. "Report."

Both guards glanced at each other, obviously deciding who would go first. The taller one, Fredrick if Arthur's memory served him right, nodded and then looked back at Arthur. "Earthquake sire, I'm sure you felt it."

Arthur nodded before Fredrick continued.

"Nothing major; overturned carts, a small fire in the lower town, easily taken care of. No injured as of yet."

"Good," Arthur answered approvingly, "thank you."

The guard next to Fredrick, Henreil, looked a bit more reserved and Arthur narrowed his eyes in curiosity. "Was there something else?"

Henreil with his short brown hair sticking off slightly from his forehead, ran a hand through his hair and glanced at the children, only serving to confuse Arthur further as he waited for him to speak.

"Me and another guard on duty found the children rummaging through the vaults."

Arthur furrowed his strawberry blonde brow. "But... I have the -."

Suddenly, and with a cocked eyebrow, Guinevere produced a large skeleton key from her left hand, holding it up in plain sight. Abigail chewed her lip nervously and Gavin lowered his head though both had mischievous smirks on their faces.

"Oh," was Arthur's first response. His second being. "You're getting as bad as your uncle Gail, you too Gavin."

Abigail smiled while Gwen rolled her chocolate eyes fondly. "Which one?"

Arthur blinked, "Gwaine."

Gavin laughed though Arthur's stomach squirmed when he thought of Gwaine's most common partner in crime. Gwen sensed this and reached for Arthur's hand before giving it a squeeze.

"Tell them about the man!" Gavin commented, an exciting timbre filling his voice.

"Yeah!" Gail pitched in, grasping her father's sleeve in anticipation.

Now even Guinevere's face was etched with confusion. "What man?"

Henreil cleared his throat before answering. "Sire, there was a young man in the vaults as well. That's how we found the children, or rather, they found us. According to their account the man appeared out of nowhere, they talked, and shortly after that he passed out. The children called for us and we were alerted to their presence."

Arthur cocked his head. A man in the Vaults? Sure, they'd had plenty of people try to steal from the Vaults over and over again... but why would a man who knew he could pass out go into the Vaults and risk being caught.

He blinked as he set Abigail down on her feet. "What is his condition now?"

"Well sire, he was beginning to stir by the time we got him to the dungeons. I expect he's awoken by now, awaiting your judgment."

Arthur nodded, rubbing his bare chin. "Have some other guards bring him here before you return to your post. Thank you for bringing this to me."

The guard dipped his head to both Arthur and Guinevere and uttered, "Sire, My lady," before leaving the Throne Room.

"I must also return to my post sire," Fredrick said.

Arthur, having forgotten the second guard in his musings, widen his eyes marginally from their thoughtfully narrowed position. "Yes of course," he waved. "But first can you please fetch the Knights from my quarters. Gaius as well. If we wake any of the councilors at this hour they're likely to have the man's head just for being aroused."

Abigail and Gavin laughed and his wife smothered her own chuckle. Even the guard smirked before answering, "Of course." He, like the other guard, arched his neck before leaving his King alone with his wife, daughter, and nephew in all but blood.

Gwen pointed an eyebrow and looked between the two children. "So what do we do with them?"

Arthur bit his lip against the grin that was growing on his face. He ran towards Abigail and Gavin, both of whom squealed as he lifted them over his broad shoulders. "I say we throw them in tallest tower and then gobble them up!"

Gwen laughed and put a hand to her mouth. Abigail and Gavin flailed in Arthur's arms, both hanging slightly down Arthur's back as they laughed, blood rushing to their head. "Noooo!"

"Oh yes!" Arthur boomed in a deep voice. He bounced the children in his arms before spinning them around, making them squeal in high pitched voices.

"Father!"

"Uncle Arthur!"

"Put us down!"

"_Please!"_

"What?" Arthur grinned, still spinning.

Both children answered in chorus. _"Please!"_

"Only of you promise to never go into the Vaults again without my permission... Or Guinevere's."

"Promise!"

"I promise!"

Laughing, Arthur set both children back on their feet. They wobbled as a glint of dizziness hit them from having their blood rushing to their head; now it was rushing out. They both blinked and panted breathlessly from laughing and Arthur kneeled before them.

"Pinkie promise?"

Abigail pursed her lips but she couldn't deny her father anything in her breathless state and as Arthur stuck his pinkie out from his fisted hand, she clasped her own small one in his and they locked pinkies for the barest of minutes before Arthur did the same with Gavin.

"Uncle Arthur, can we go back tomorrow?" Gavin asked, surprisingly finding that after that brief rush of excitement he was growing tired. He rubbed his eyes as Abigail yawned beside him.

Arthur smirked fondly at the pair. "No, I don't think tomorrow, but someday."

Abigail, too tired to even care, nodded. "Ok..."

"Why don't you two go to bed, hm?"

Gavin nodded and stepped towards his uncle, flinging his arms around his neck and burying his face in Arthur's neck. "Goodnight Uncle."

Arthur hugged him tightly back, closing his azure colored eyes. "Goodnight Gavin."

Gavin pulled back and Arthur kissed his forehead before releasing him to say goodnight to his Aunt Gwen, who had just released Abigail from a tight hug.

Abigail stepped forward and hugged her father, wrapping her lithe arms around his neck and whispering goodnight into his neck.

"Nighty night my princess."

"Sleep tight."

Abigail pulled back and Arthur kissed his daughters nose and brushed a blonde hair that had fallen out of her braid behind her small ear. "Don't let the bedbugs bite."

She smiled at him before stepping backwards. Arthur and Gwen stood, clasping their hands together as Abigail and Gavin went out the back door, headed for their bedchambers as they yawned in unison.

Gwen turned to her husband, frowning thoughtfully as she noticed him with the corners of his lips turned downwards as he stared off at the children, instantly knowing who he was thinking about. She squeezed his hand in comfort and it broke his daze as he flinched in surprise and faced her.

"You're not alright Arthur... and don't say you are."

Her husband sighed. "It's just... today."

Gwen tilted her head, leaning into him more. "I know... I miss him too."

Arthur wrapped his arms around her in a quick hug just before the Throne Room doors opened and revealed a small group of people; the Knights and Gaius.

"Hey Arthur," Gwaine said as he walked towards them, "what's up?"

Arthur met him halfway, the rest of the group crowding around too. "The guards found someone in the Vaults. Nothing big yet, nothing stolen I guess. Just routine."

Gwaine rolled his amber eyes, flipping his hair as he flicked his neck. "How'd they find him?"

Arthur smirked in remembrance, a happier memory than the one he'd been lost in a moment ago. "Well, and you're going to love this, it was actually _Abigail_ and _Gavin_ that found him. Apparently, this young man just appeared and talked to the two before passing out. Abigail and Gavin called for the guards after that."

Gwaine snorted, believing every word.

"Looks like little Gavin is taking after his father," Elyan joked, glancing at Gwaine while raising his eyebrows

Gwaine laughed and Arthur rolled his eyes.

"Like father, like son," Gwen smirked.

There was a knock at the door before a guard entered, telling them that the prisoner was coming.

"Better get in place," Gaius suggested.

The Knights and Gwen nodded and walked away but before Gaius could, Arthur laid a hand on his arm. This time of the year was never a good one, especially for the surrogate father. Usually there was always a mischievous glint in Gaius eyes, a flash of before, but not tonight. His face showed his age more prominently than any time of the year. "How are you Gaius?"

He heard the elderly man sigh as his blue-grey eyes softened. "No better than you sire... Or anyone else here."

Arthur knew without a doubt that was true. Despite everyone's previous joking, he could see the glint of grief in all of their eyes. He nodded at Gaius as they parted, Arthur to his throne and Gaius to his regular pillar a few feet diagonal from Guinevere's throne.

The doors to the Throne Room opened just then, revealing a party of four; three guards and the prisoner. The brown haired guard in front stepped aside slightly to let them see the person behind him... though all they could see were his clothes considering he was rubbing his face with fervor.

He wore dirtied -and in places, ripped- clothing. A deeply purple tunic that outlined his thin figure and a -what looked like silk- grey neckerchief around his neck, the grey sharpened against his tunic and then by his black breeches. His leather belted boots clicked on the floor as he walked forward. He looked just like...

"Arthur..."

And that voice... No... Arthur's eyes were already wide, frozen in position as his lips parted. He couldn't even turn to look at anyone else's' reaction as he continued to stare directly in front of him.

"...you better have a good reason for putting me in the dungeons or I'm going to..."

The young man trailed off as his hands finally fell from his face to reveal a startlingly, chillingly familiar figure... that was supposed to be dead. Tempestuous, kaleidoscope, beryl blue eyes, glazed over with different emotions raging behind them; bewilderment, wonder, exhaustion, utter _confusion_. That high cheekboned, porcelain face with that held those dreamy ultramarine eyes was topped with short, obsidian colored hair that reflected the glowing candles that lit the room form the candelabras. A face they knew so well, one that haunted their dreams... One that hadn't aged _a day_ since they'd last seen it.

_Merlin..._

* * *

AAnnnddd? Don't keep me guessing! Did you like Abigail and Gavin? Hmm? I tried to write them so they're utterly adorable but still with a hint of their parents in them... so... until I get reviews my brain will be running a muck as to what you guy's thought. I tried to add more details for better imagery, not that I've had any complaints, but I think that's really important to help things flow and with imagery! Sorry about not having the actual reunion in this chappie; it wasn't even suppose to _get_ this long (longest chappie so far...), but it _will_ defiantly be in the next chapter... obviously...

Oh, and if you guy's wanna read an awesome fic, I have a suggestion... 'The Voice in the Dream,' by OneDarkandStormyNight is absolutely sensational! I... might have read the first chapter at 11pm, got so entangled (and was completely weeping as I reveiwed it because it was sooo beautifully agnsty and so beautifully written) that I skimmed the next chapter before jumping right to the Epilogue... where I cried again... But, moral of this little story is that it's amazing! I havn't even gotten the time to read all of it yet and I'm already recommending it to you guy's! ;D

ALSO! I'm not writing this with an outline AT ALL, it just keeps coming, so if anything doesn't match up with previous chapters please tell me! I'm going to be touching up the prologue soon to match better with this. One more important thing... like I said, I'm not writing this with an outline... but I also don't have much of an idea of what I'm doing... I have the beginning and the end, but not much middle so if there's _anything_ you want to see please mention it in a comment and I'll see if I can incorporate it onto the story! Thanks!

Anywho, and before this gets any longer and all of our eyes burn out and I get third-degree eyestrain... Please review and tell me what you thought!


	5. Reconciliation

Hi guy's... *shield accompanied by innocent grin* Sorry this took so long to update! I've been super busy, having some family problems as well and I'm in the middle of moving. Sorry again! Also, unfortunately, we've decided to cut back more until my dad can find a job so I won't have internet either starting this week! No fear! I will still be updating! The library's only like a ten minute walk from my house! Plus we have internet as school! So yay! (^_^)

Also, kinda hoping that I'll be able to mooch someone else' internet since I live in apt's. Which would be awesome... know why? Because then I can watch Merlin when it airs! At this rate, I'll have to watch it at the library and _try_ to to look like a spaz while I_ try_ not to fangirl through '45 minutes of swords and toplessness' as one reviewer who saw the screening said... (O**.**O) See where I'm coming from? ALSO... the launch date was _ literally_ just confirmed for Oct. 6! *fangirl squeal* Alright, enough of that... Allons-y!

Disclaimer; IDOM

Enjoy!

* * *

_Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky._

-Rabindranath Tagore

* * *

It was too much. Arthur's mind churned slowly, breaking out of the frozen slush it had turned into when he saw the form of his long-lost friend appear in the throne room. This couldn't be possible, could it? After twelve years? Arthur felt something not unlike hope flare in his chest. Then he remembered and that hope was quickly changed into despair as realization hit him. This couldn't be their Merlin.

Arthur had nearly lost hope too many times and for him to just show up like this. He couldn't get his hopes up again just for them to crash down and create a new wave of sorrow. Too many times he'd heard his friends' cheery, bright call from behind or just around the corner and no matter how hard Arthur ran, he couldn't catch its user. He'd seen his face too many times in his dreams, laughing with him at a forgotten joke, complaining about the workload, or embracing Guinevere at breakfast like they used to every morning. _That_ exact, young, healthy, face. But that was so long ago.

In despair's place, Arthur felt a bubble of hot anger rising. How _dare_ someone do this; charade as Merlin... Especially today. Especially on their day of grief as the memory of Merlin was refreshed in their minds.

He sensed Guinevere tense up beside him and stood abruptly, clenching his fists as his nostrils flared in anger. "Who are _you?"_

The _imposter_ -for that's what he must be- was broken out of his own startled trance at the bite of Arthur's words and twitched as his eyes focused. A confused yet insolent look regarded his features as he barked out the same demand. "Who am_ I? _Who the heck are _you?"_

Arthur balled his hands into fists and pursed his lips, standing at straight as he could as he clenched his jaw and ground his teeth. "_I_ am King Arthur Pendragon of Camelot."

Merlin -though the back of his mind might have known who he was- furrowed his brow as this... _Arthur_ put his hands on his hips, waiting for an answer to his first question. But, this couldn't be Arthur; Merlin had just seen him _not an hour ago -_young- and yet...

Merlin let his blue eyes scan his so called best friend skeptically, comparing features between _this_ Arthur and _his_ Arthur: same muscled, athletic build, same strong jawline, handsome face and brilliant, ocean-blue eyes, same golden head.

As far as appearances go, whoever it was standing in front of Arthur's throne had everything down pat except for the twinge of silver around the man's temples and the hint of birthing wrinkles at the corners of his ever-young beryl colored eyes.

But that was just it, the thing Merlin couldn't understand. Why would someone, _anyone_... even Arthur wouldn't go to the trouble of dressing up like this just to mess with Merlin's head, much less Gaius, Gwen, and the Knights. And everything was so perfect except for the barely noticeable sign of age. But did that mean...

This wasn't, _couldn't_... Merlin's stormy blue eyes fell to the hand that was laid regally on Arthur's hip, his right forefinger which held -Merlin knew because Arthur never took it off- his mother's wedding band. He narrowed his eyes to focus on it, drowning out anything else as a nearly panicked twinge in his heart made his breath spot. His nostrils flared at a memory came to life. It had been just before they'd met Morgause for the first time.

_Arthur was sitting on the edge of his bed, thinking about something or other and twirling the wide silver band around his finger. A central golden band and the two separate silver rings attached twirled separately as the flickering fire from the hearth reached out towards it. _

_ "What's so special about that ring anyway?" Merlin asked, polishing Arthur's armour a few feet away._

_"It was my mother's ring. My father had it made specially. One of a kind." Arthur's voice had sounded thick with unseen emotion._

_ 'Was' echoed in Merlin's mind even though he had long since known of the Queen's death at Arthur's birth. "I'm sorry." _

_ Arthur nodded and swallowed. "It's the only thing I have left of her."_

There, perfectly circling his forefinger was that same silver and gold band, and before anyone could even react, Merlin was in front of Arthur, grabbing at the older man's hand and slightly unbalancing him in surprise.

Merlin held Arthur's hand in both of his slender ones, flipping it over and taking a quick inspection: every detail, every chip, every curve was the same... _It_ was the same.

Arthur swiped his hand back, furrowing his eyebrows in anger and frustration as well as confusion as he took a step back.

Merlin continued to stare at him as he stepped nervously back as well, sensing his... _his_ King's discomfort at his touch. His eyes a little wider as realization and familiarity echoed through his numb mind. "A-Arthur?"

Arthur sneered and narrowed his eyes. "_King_ Arthur. Now, _who are you?"_

It took Merlin's mind a moment to register the question, nausea and dizziness still present though going unnoticed with the current situation. "_Arthur, _it's me... It's _Merlin. _What happened?"

The man scowled and shook his head, a fresh pang of both anger and sorrow in his heart. "Impossible. _Our_ Merlin's been _missing_," -because saying _dead_ hurt too much even though it must be the truth,- "for _twelve _years!"

Merlin's forehead creased as he shuffled his feet anxiously. _"What?" _ _Twelve_ years? Merlin took a step forward without thinking. "Arthur, it's me...-"

Said man interrupted him with cold eyes. "I don't know who you are _sorcerer_, but this is a sick _joke_, and if you think -."

"Prove it," someone said. Their tone was hesitant and slightly fluctuating as if barely able to hold its composure and yet still held a certain strength to it and only Guinevere could ever achieve.

Both Merlin and Arthur's gaze flickered to her. Merlin hadn't even really _looked_ at her yet, only a glance. Merlin's eyes widened as he took in his best friends appearance.

She was still as beautiful as ever in his mind, if not more so. Guinevere was wearing a deep green dress with accented her chocolate colored eyes and dark complexion. The lace bordering her sleeves and neckline was light green, complimenting her light green belt as well as her still-dark hair.

Merlin thought that the only sign of age on his Queen's face was the subtle hints of crow's feet on the edges of her eyes as well as a deepening the ever-permanent crease in her cheeks from smiling.

"What?" he asked, both confused and still awed at his aged friends.

Guinevere swallowed once, locking her gaze on this... person who she wanted _so badly_ to be her best friend. "Merlin... that is... _our_ Merlin, once told me... that you can distinguish one sorcerer from another by their magic. That no matter what disguise they wear, if you've felt their magic you'll know who it is."

Merlin tilted his head, remembering, and then slowly, hesitantly nodded. "Yes, I did tell... um, you that... I suppose."

Gwen glanced between her husband and the other occupants in the room.

Arthur, whose face was mixture of anger, frustration, and confusion, still had a glimmer -albeit a small one- of hope shining in his baby-blues. She watched him from a side profile as he bit his bottom lip, only betraying the desperation that accompanied the hope.

The Knights were much the same; nervous, angry at this 'imposter,' and yet with a glint of longing beneath their hardened eyes.

Gaius was perhaps the most different. Yes, like the others anger could be seen but hope was completely alight in his eyes, a distant dream clouding his blue-grey eyes. He knew Merlin better than any of them, he was his father figure and Gaius loved him more than a son. If this wasn't really _him_, Guinevere couldn't imagine the pain he'd go through.

_Don't get your hopes up either Guinevere_, she scolded herself lightly.

Out of the corner of her brown eyes, she saw Arthur sit down heavily in his own throne, letting out a puff of air as something -anxiety?- stirred in his stomach. He stared down the person in Merlin's clothing, giving him only a quick -if hesitant- nod of his head at the questioning glance in those _oh so_ familiar azure eyes.

Merlin, with butterflies churning in his stomach as if they were only just learning of his magic now, scoured through his mind for different spells to use. There were so many. Should he use a complicated one, or a simple one?

An idea suddenly popped in his head; the perfect spell. The one that really started it all.

Smirking at his own ingenious, Merlin extended his arm, palm upwards, hardly even noticing when everyone leaned in just a bit closer. He reached down her his well of magic and feeling its warm touch, pulled it out and spoke in the language of magic, _"Fromum feohgiftum on fæder bearme. Fromum feohgiftum."_

It was the very first spell that slowly started to change Arthur's mindset, when he first started questioning his father's outlook. The first spell Arthur knew about that had saved his life so many years ago.

In Merlin's slender hand, with his fingers bent slightly inwards as though relaxed, was a glowing silvery white and blue ball. It was mainly transparent and the surface rippled like water that was being stirred by a trickle of a waterfall. A soft blue glow filled the room, the sphere throwing wild patterns on the wall streaked with white. And it was just enough light shining directly into everyone's face to show the tears pricking in their eyes and cast dark shadows in Merlin's ripped clothing.

Merlin could practically feel the tension in the room drain and instead become something more. Relief? Love?

And before Merlin could even put his hand down to end the spell, Guinevere was flinging her arms around him, crying into his neck. With a look of bewilderment on his face, he wrapped his own slim arms around her.

Then his face melted into understanding. They thought he'd been missing, maybe dead, for twelve years and he hugged her tightly against him. So what had happened? Merlin didn't know but _whatever _happens you don't ignore a weeping Guinevere.

Then Gwen pulled back and Gaius pulled him into a surprisingly tight hug. "Oh, my boy. You're home!"

Merlin could feel Gaius' damp face against his cheek and a rush of affection hit him as he squeezed him back. Merlin didn't know what it felt like to lose a son and he could only imagine the pain he'd gone through. "I'm home," he said reassuringly. What else could he say?

After a few moments, Gaius pulled back and then he was met with a choked up Gwaine before the other knights gave him a hug too.

Then Arthur was in front of him. Blue eyes held bewilderment and relief and above all, brotherly love and soon Arthur was hugging him so tightly that Merlin couldn't even breathe. He felt his friends warm hand on the base of his neck pulling him close until Merlin's face was in Arthur's shoulder and Arthur face was in Merlin's shoulder. He felt slightly uncomfortable in the hug considering he'd only just seen him moments ago, but he allowed it, because apparently Arthur hadn't seen him in _twelve_ _years._

"I thought I'd lost you," was whispered in his ear with happiness.

Merlin's lips parted in slight surprise at the brotherly affection in Arthur's voice and felt something squirm in his stomach. Guilt? He had no reason to feel guilty and yet he did. He felt guilty that he hadn't been there. But _what_ had_ happened_ in the first place? How'd he travel _twelve_ years into the future?

Merlin pushed his soaring questions in the back of his mind and only focused on comforting Arthur. "It's alright Arthur... I'm here now."

He heard Arthur sniff and regain his composure before the man stepped backwards, nodding with his lips pressed into a thin line, swallowing any tears that would rise. He let his hands linger on Merlin's shoulders a moment longer before stepping backwards, filling the hole in the semi-circle of friends that surrounded Merlin.

Merlin was starting to feel his nausea come back and felt his knees lock up to keep him from falling as his head spun. He felt his stomach seize and his throat felt dry.

"But how are you...," Arthur fumbled. _"What happened?"_

Merlin smirked a little, still a little startled at _older everyone_. "I think I should be asking _you_ that question."

Arthur's eyebrows scrunched in confusion as everyone stepped a bit closer, not letting Merlin out of their sight in fear he'd disappear again. "What do you mean?"

"Arthur, to me..." he tried to find the right words to explain. His forehead creased and he pursed his lips. "To me... I _just saw you_ not an hour ago, all of you... _This _is... I have no idea."

Gaius walked closer and stood beside his ward, strong love still present in his eyes despite his own confusion. "Merlin... what's the last thing you remember?"

Going along with his line of thinking, Arthur added a bit worryingly, "The guards said they found you passed out in the Vaults."

Merlin blinked as another dizzy spell hit, everyone starting to notice as Gwaine stepped closer on Merlin's left, just in case. Merlin nodded, "I was... um, in some room I found in the Vaults. I'm not exactly sure what happened but it was magic. The floor started glowing and shifting -"

"The earthquakes" Leon suggested smartly.

Merlin's head snapped to him and was met with the same spirited blue-green eyes and dark flaxen hair, though now there were a few streaks of lighter yellow. The only real sign of age -like everyone else it seemed- was the slightly deepening creases in his face. "What earthquakes?"

Guinevere answered. "The day you disappeared," Arthur took her hand as her voice fluctuated and Merlin couldn't help but feel another pang of guilt, "there was an earthquake that shook all of Camelot. Gaius felt something and knew something had happened... Which is how we knew something had happened to you... And then a few moments ago... there was another earthquake, presumably when you'd returned."

Merlin's head was now swimming, his lightheadedness not letting him sort anything out. He only nodded as his mind backtracked. Yes, the floor had started shifting, so much so that he'd been able to hear it. But then he'd also been at the center of it apparently.

He shook his head to clear it but only made a wave of dizziness pass over him and he stumbled backward. He felt a strong hands -Gwaine's- on his arm and in the center of his slim back , keeping him steady as he put his hand to his temple.

"Merlin, are you alright?" Gwen asked in a concerned voice

Merlin shook his head as his stomach churned. "I don't know."

Arthur looked over to Gaius for an explanation but the physician only narrowed his eyes and furrowed his thick eyebrows. "It must be something to do with whatever happened sire. I think the best thing right now is rest."

Arthur nodded, the highlights in his hair made by the candles shifting in the movement. "Of course. I think the guest chambers should suffice for now."

Merlin, looking even more confused, decided not to comment as Gaius nodded. "And I think a change of clothing would be good too."

"What?" Merlin asked. But in response, he looked down at himself, for the first time noticing the slash marks in his clothing. Some of them showing exactly where he'd been cut by reddening slashed in his pale skin. "Oh."

Arthur rolled his eyes in fond amusement and gave Merlin an endearing smile while intertwining hands with an equally smiling, still watery-eyed wife.. "Yeah, oh. So a change of clothes and guest chambers."

Merlin's brain was too washed out to care and he just nodded. "Uh, sure."

"There's some rooms in the west wing," Gwen suggested, "by Gaius' chambers."

Merlin saw Gaius smile gratefully at Guinevere. She knew he'd want to be close to Merlin.

"I'll lead you," she suggested.

Merlin turned to follow but when he moved his eyes, a cloud of dizziness clouded his tired mind and he stumbled, quickly feeling Gwaine turn him around and hoist Merlin's arm over his shoulder and feeling Gwaine's hand on his waist to keep him from falling.

"As clumsy as ever, eh, Merlin?" he joked happily.

Merlin tried to smile, scoffing as he was gently lead out of the room. He heard the knights going the opposite way, presumably to spread the word of Merlin's return. Gaius and Guinevere kept snatching glances behind them to look at him with joy and tears in their eyes. Arthur walked on his other side, there if needed and smiling his first -unbeknownst to Merlin, but very well known to the rest- completely genuine smile in twelve years.

With a few more twists and turns, they reached the desired chambers and Guinevere opened the door, holding it open while Gwaine maneuvered Merlin's half-limp body through the door.

Gaius pulled back the blankets on the bed just as Gwaine set Merlin down. The younger man, stomach still churning and vision hazy, practically fell into the pillow before he felt Guinevere's warm hands behind his neck untying his neckerchief and someone else taking off his boots.

He snuggled into the warm, thick blankets that were drawn up to his chin and saw through narrowing blue eyes and felt Guinevere and Gaius plant kisses in his ash-covered hair. Then Merlin saw Gwaine come up and lightly clap his shoulder, giving it a squeeze as if to reassure himself that Merlin was back. At last.

Then Arthur came up and placed a hand on Merlin's shoulder. "We'll talk more tomorrow old friend."

Merlin grunted and with just that one familiar noise, Arthur's lips tightened into a fond smile and his heart soared as his nostrils flare and more tears pushed against his cerulean eyes. He gripped Merlin's shoulder a bit more firmly before stepping back and grasping Guinevere's hand. _He's back. He's home_.

Gaius blew out the candle beside Merlin's bed and gave his already peacefully sleeping ward one more loving look before turning to the rest. "We better get some rest as well."

Arthur nodded and turned, Gwaine clapping him on his shoulder. "I can't believe it," he breathed quietly.

Gwen smiled and they left the room. Gaius closed the door quietly behind them and left their beloved warlock to sleep, hearts soaring and each knew that they'd hardly get any sleep themselves this night.

* * *

Two screened beryl eyes shifted themselves awake buried underneath a mound of maroon and gold-embroidered quilts. Merlin breathed a deep sigh of comfort, feeling the feather-filled pillow beneath his head as he snuggled further into it. He drew his knees a little further up into him to preserve the wonderful warmth when a distant thought echoed in the corners of his mind.

_Where am I?_

His brow barely furrowed as his mind slowly started to churn. Merlin shifted his head once more and concluded that the pillow beneath his head was too soft and plush to be his own and the warm blankets too thick. The mattress itself was too comfortable considering the way Merlin -even with his lightweight body- sunk into it slightly. It was nothing compared to his own bed: hard mattress, hard pillow and thin blanket. He wasn't one to complain, he was used to it, but there was a definite difference between this bed and his own.

Arthur's?

Maybe. Merlin, with a small fond smile, remembered once when survivors of a raid from an outskirt town sought safety in Camelot. With them were injured -a lot- and Merlin remembered staying up all night and helping Gaius treat every last one of them, moderately using his magic on the worst cases -not that Arthur knew that then.

Between using his magic and staying up all night when he'd hardly gotten any sleep the previous night, he'd been utterly exhausted. But either way, he'd gone to work the next day and fell asleep polishing Arthur's armour.

Later, after he'd woken up, he'd learned that Arthur had lifted Merlin up on his own bed, knowing -and proud- of how much Merlin had helped the injured, and took one of the guest chambers for himself that night after he'd gotten back from a lengthy council meeting.

But that couldn't be it could it?

Gwen's?

Letting out a soft chuckle, he remembered the countless times he'd hidden away at Guinevere's house when he'd been accused of something or other. His mind fluttered through images of ugly trolls and possessive Goblins. Other images included a fussy Arthur and Gaius telling him to clean the leach tank.

Or even when he'd just been too tired to walk all the way up to Gaius' chambers and Gwen -smirking when she saw him stumble several times- insisted that he spend the night.

But even this bed was too soft to be Gwen's. Maybe since she'd moved into the castle, but he hadn't ever slept there since his chambers were only a five minute walk.

Finally, he decided to just have a look for himself and blinked open his brilliant blue eyes to complete darkness. Letting out a little breath of amusement, he used his arm to push the covers down to his chest and propped himself up on one elbow to inspect the room.

His eyes quickly adjusted to the soft golden sunlight that streamed in from the windows. Birdsong could be heard from their nests in the small alcoves left by half-weathered statues outside. Merlin took a deep breath through the nose, the smell of both afternoon air and lavender permeating his senses.

The room itself was fairly large. Maybe a bit smaller that Arthur's. At the foot of the bed, an assortment of clothing and what looked like a note, beyond that was a tub filled with water; all only heightening Merlin's confusion.

He saw a breeze play with the curtains and soon felt goose bumps on his chest. Surprised -because he never slept shirtless- he glanced down at his chest, even more astounded to find large, and small tears throughout his purple tunic before images flooded his mind: Vaults, dungeon, throne room, _twelve years._

Merlin groaned long-sufferingly and let himself fall back onto the bed. That headache he'd gone to bed with was quickly making a reappearance. He ground the heel of his palm into his eye and rubbed the last remnants of sleep out of them before reluctantly flinging the covers off of him. The sudden change in temperature made him shiver and long for his warm cocoon again, but nevertheless he knew he had to get up, if only to find out what happened.

And the others? Older... _everyone?_ Merlin felt a sort of nervous pit in his stomach at the thought. Twelve years is a long time. How was he supposed to react? Would everything be normal? Well... _his_ normal? But they'd thought he was... missing right? Dead? How were _they_ supposed to react?

Merlin, with another sigh, pushed himself off the bed with scrawny yet muscular arms, pushing his uneasy questions to the back of his mind. Rubbing his glazed blue eyes once more, he walked to the foot of the bed, examining what lay there. Laying side by side on the silky maroon quilt was a pair of brown breeches, a blue tunic, and a red neckerchief. All new and smelling fresh.

He quirked a thick eyebrow in surprise and a prick of fondness picked at his heart; Gwen. She must have done it. Who else would leave him a neckerchief anyway? He smirked as he ran along his hand across the material -not silk because Gwen knew Merlin wasn't very fond of those- but still of higher quality fabric than his servants clothes.

Merlin's eyes eventually landed on the note that has been placed beside the clothes. He picked it up and read through it. It wasn't very long at all -in Arthur's regal scrawl- with a request to meet in Arthur's chambers at noon for lunch... Oh, and that it was in fact _Guinevere's_ idea for the clothing. Merlin smiled.

He walked over towards the window and peeked out, having to squint from the bright sun reflecting off the flagstone. Merlin guessed it was probably almost noon now, but figured he at least had the time to take a bath.

He dropped the note back in the bed and walked over to the tub of water before dipping one slender hand in the water. Cold. He let his eyes dance golden and soon there was a small steam coming up from the water, heated to the perfect temperature.

Merlin went behind the screen and changed out of his torn clothes before throwing them on a chair and got in the tub. He took special care to get all the ash and dust out of his raven hair and made sure that the cuts that littered his skin weren't too bad. Fortunately they were all just flesh wounds, and as Merlin pushed a little magic towards the surface of his skin they disappeared seamlessly.

Then Merlin dried himself off and changed into the new set of clothes, pleased that they fit perfectly, before combing his hair flat against his head. He reached down beside the chest that lay at the foot of the bed and picked up his leather boots, surprised to find them newly polished. He slipped them over his stark white socks before looking himself over in the half-body mirror beside the wardrobe.

Merlin ran his hand through his coal hair once more before adjusting the red neckerchief. Butterflied stirred in his stomach as he took a deep breath. He stepped away from the mirror and walked towards the large wooden door, grasping the bronze handle and hesitating momentarily before opening it. The door hinges squealed in protest and Merlin peeked out into the corridor. Thankfully, he didn't see anyone and closed the door lightly behind him.

The trip to Arthur's chambers were mainly uneventful, except for the last stretch. He'd finally seen a servant, a maid, carrying sheets. He smiled politely at her, but she, upon seeing him, gave him a look of half astonishment, and half incredulousness before hiding her face and shuffling around the corner. Wonderful, as if things couldn't get any weirder.

Sighing in slight exasperation and running one hand through his hair, he raised his other hand to knock on Arthur's door. He'd thought this through... more or less. Merlin thought that just barging in like he normally did might be too... odd. Not only that, but Merlin felt slightly awkward in this new world.

His bony knuckles rapped on the door and not even a second passed before he heard a cheery voice answer, "Come in."

Merlin pushed open the door and before he could even take in the room, he was bombarded with a massive hug, courtesy of Guinevere. He huffed a quick laugh -she would never change- and hugged her back before she pulled away, a smile so bright on her face that it crinkled the corners of her eyes, making the shine and compliment her silky maroon dress.

"You're late Merlin," a mock-irritated voice said. Arthur's, classically.

"Some things never change," Gaius added happily.

Both came over and gave him a hug as well, Gaius looking years younger than he had last night. Merlin grinned -that, Gwen's hug and smile, and Arthur's hug had done wonders for his nerves.

"I had the kitchen's prepare something special. I figured you might be hungry," Arthur said.

As if only just smelling the food, Merlin's mouth watered and his stomach groaned. Merlin's blue eyes roved the table, full of different meats, cheeses, breads, and fruits. Everything looked wonderful.

"Well, maybe just a little," he laughed, laying a hand on his stomach.

Arthur smiled widely and let out a bark of laughter. Gaius and Gwen exchanged an equally happy look, though not thinking about Merlin's joke, but rather at Arthur's genuine laugh.

Guinevere grabbed Merlin's slender hand and guided him over to the table, sitting him down at Arthur's right, next to Gaius, while she sat at Arthur's left. She laughed as Merlin eyed the food with anticipation. "Help yourself."

Merlin gave her a toothy grin right before the door behind him burst open, making him jump in his seat.

"We're here!" Gwaine announced, the two children at his side copying the line as he shifted the baby in his arms.

"Gwaine! You're supposed to be on patrol!"

Gwaine gave Arthur a mischievous smile. "Well I wasn't going to miss this. Plus, you give money to the right people, or in my case, ask Tom to do it in my place... you get off some. Besides, I thought the kids might want to meet their uncle!"

Merlin looked at him dumbfounded, eyebrows drawn together in confusion. Guinevere stood and, smiling, took the cooing baby out of Gwaine's arms and settled them in her own. "And we were going to ease him into it." She shook her head in exasperation.

With a completely awed expression on his face and a lump in his throat as he connected the dots, Merlin stood slowly as Guinevere walked towards him, rocking the blue blanketed child against her breast. Arthur came up behind him and Gaius smiled softly at his left. He looked more like his mother with lightly dusted skin with brown hair, though straight like his fathers, and he had the most beautiful kaleidoscope brown eyes.

"Merlin," Gwen started. "Meet our son, Rowan _Merlin _Pendragon."

Merlin felt something catch in his throat. They named him after him? "Three names?" he asked instead.

Arthur smiled at him. "We couldn't decide. And after you... We thought we should."

Merlin looked at him gratefully, his eyes a little watery. "Thanks."

Arthur nodded.

"How old is he?"

"Nearly a year."

The two other children behind Gwaine giggled, breaking the somber silence as they drew attention to themselves. Merlin recognized them as Gwaine moved aside. They were the children he'd seen in the Vaults.

The young girl, Abigail, wore a deep green dress that stopped at about her ankles and her long blonde hair was splayed across her shoulders. Her cheeks were slightly flushed against her pale face and her robin egg colored eyes sparkled. Gavin, wore a blue tunic, the color of Merlin's own, with a small deep brown vest and brown trousers. His curious emerald eyes danced with a certain light and intelligence in them, set below a stack of unruly short brown hair.

Abigail ran to Arthur, who picked her up in one swoop before presenting her to Merlin. "And this, is Abigail Aslynn Pendragon, our daughter. She's eight."

Merlin smiled even wider if possible as he regarded her. He tilted his head comically, "Well, nice to meet you _Princess_ Abigail."

She herself smiled and laughed. "See Gavin, Uncle Merlin says I'm a princess."

The word 'Uncle' pulled at Merlin's heartstrings. Gwen rolled her eyes fondly at her daughter and a 'humph' came from beside Gwaine. Gwaine reached down and picked him up with a similar grunt to Arthur's and rested the child in his hip before stepping forward.

"Merlin," Gwaine grinned proudly, "this is my son, Gavin. He's seven."

Merlin blanked for a moment, but he didn't let it show. Gwaine...? His mouth parted for a second and he looked between Gwaine and Gavin, eyeing their similarities. It was uncanny. The only difference was Gavin's blooming green eyes as opposed to Gwaine's chocolate ones.

A memory shuffled to the forefront of Merlin's mind, a picture of flaxen gold eyes in a darkened corridor as the boy used magic to soften his fall. "And you have magic?"

Gavin nodded enthusiastically. "My mother's a Druid!"

Merlin looked to Gwaine, smiling while he grinned, Merlin's eyes dancing with pride. "And do I get to meet her?"

Gwaine laughed. "Not now, my friend. She's off on some diplomatic mission for Arthur."

Merlin scrunched his eyebrows in curiosity when Gaius spoke up. "Gavin's got a lot of potential as well Merlin."

"Oh, really?" Merlin grinned.

Gavin smiled. "Gaius has been teaching me! Watch!"

He glanced at Gaius for a moment before bringing a small fisted hand to his mouth and whispering '_forbearnan_' into it. Merlin couldn't see his eyes as they were shut but knew by instinct that they were a molten gold. Gavin, smirking happily, extended his arm towards Merlin and opened his fist to reveal a flickering flame about the size of a grape tomato.

Gwaine smiled proudly and kissed his son's hair as everyone congratulated him. Merlin was genuinely impressed too. Usually children, full Druid children couldn't perform magic until their teen years. And with Gavin only being half-Druid... he had a lot of potential indeed.

"Can we eat now?" Abigail whined loudly.

Arthur laughed and Gwen shook her head. "Just like her father."

Now it was Merlin's turn to laugh and Arthur's turn to give his wife a disbelieving-shocked look. Gwaine and Gaius exchanged a look, one without words but with all meanings interpreted correctly. This is how it should be.

Everyone took their seats once more, Arthur at the head with Guinevere to his left -after she put Rowan in a rocker-, Gwaine next to her, and Abigail next to him. To Arthur's right, Merlin sat beside Gaius with Gavin on his right.

The atmosphere melted to carefree and everyone laughed happily as stories were exchanged and Merlin was filled in on the last twelve years. But there was one emotion that flowed deeper than any laughter and was permanent in Gaius', Arthur's, Guinevere's, and Gwaine's eyes; pure love and ecstatic relief that their friend was finally home.

And those would never fade away.

* * *

I hope I did it right! I tried to manipulate the emotions to the right degree and I have _no_ idea where the ring idea came from. I literally just finished this so sorry for any mistakes! Oh, and sorry for any confusion on the last chapter as to who Gavin's father was! I hope you liked my new add it -Rowan- as well as the other two! I'm hoping to intermix them in the story, but don't worry, the focus will still be on Merlin!

Please review and tell me what you thought! Now, I must succumb to the call of sleep before school tomorrow! :)


	6. Day One

I know... _three_ weeks in the making! Sorry! As you other writers know, stress _combined_ with writers block is not good, and lately, I've been under a lot of stress! Anyway, I think it'll lessen up a bit now, maybe! But hey, have you guy's seen Arthur's Bane? BRILLIANT! Haven't seen Part 2 yet, stupid rain made it so I couldn't go to the library!

*SPOILERS* I have to say, just for the sake of awesomeness that I CALLED IT! YAY! Guy's, if you haven't seen it yet, in Arthur's Bane Part 1... Merlin JUGGLES! YES! That part killed me! If you guy's haven't read 'Shorts' yet, there's a chapter where I have him juggling! Also, not sure if I like BAMF!Gwen yet, they changed her too fast in my opinion. Down side to the 3 year time jump. Eh, I might get used to it, but I can't see her sentencing her servant to death, even if I understand why. Can't wait to see Part 2 later today! :)

Disclaimer: IDOM

Enjoy!

* * *

_Sometimes the person who tries to keep everybody else happy is always the most lonely person. So never leave them alone because they will never say that they need you._

* * *

Water snaked through the air, changing colors as it wrapped around several candle holders and making the children 'ooh' and 'ahh.' Across the table, Gwen shared a look with Arthur, one that went beyond words and they intertwined their hands as they watched the show.

Merlin made the water warp around Abigail's blond hair, even becoming intertwined with it and then coming out again, but leaving her hair completely dry. Eventually, just as the water was changing from an ecstatic green to a calming blue, Merlin returned the water to the silver goblet it had originally come from.

"That was so amazing!" Abigail cried. Her hands were splayed across the table as she leaned in as close as she could with her shining blonde hair falling across her shoulders.

Gavin laughed and peeked inside the cup, and seeing the water in its normal plain state, hastily agreed.

Gwaine grinned and winked at Gaius across the table, whom of which, smiled proudly at his returned surrogate son. Oh, how they'd missed this.

The moment Merlin's magic had permeated the air, everyone –even unconsciously- took a deep breath of what felt like their first breath of fresh air in twelve years. Even before Merlin's secret had been revealed, they'd gotten used to that certain energy and life and calming presence that Merlin's magic retained and being apart from it… They'd felt completely deprived of all the peace they'd once had. And having it back again… was simply that, amazing.

"Can I try?" Gavin asked. He practically bounced with excitement and Gwaine just gave him a fond fatherly grin. Merlin still couldn't believe that Gwaine was a father. Not that he could believe that Guinevere and Arthur were parents either, but still.

Merlin smiled mischievously and Arthur couldn't help but raise a curious eyebrow. "Sure. Watch me."

Merlin raised his hand sideways against the side of the cup and whispered words no one but he, Gaius, and Gavin would be able to understand. He allowed his eyes to glow a burning gold and slowly raised his hand, fingers relaxed as the water slowly crawled up the side of the cup, parallel to his hand with every movement and making a small trickling sound.

"You know, this was one of the first tricks I showed your parents after they discovered my magic," Merlin commented. 'Parents' sounds so foreign on his tongue.

Arthur laughed in remembrance and Merlin threw him a sly grin though his stomach sort of flipped when he remembered –once again- that this wasn't really _his_ Arthur, but a future one. He felt his heart stop a tiny bit and his heart rise in his chest before he shoved it back down. He couldn't let his discomfort show. And then he felt guilty at feeling any discomfort at all. This might not be his Arthur, or his Guinevere, or his Gaius, or his Gwaine… but they were still the same people right?

He looked past Gaius, on his right, to see Gavin watching him avidly with ponderous eyes. Had he seen Merlin before he'd been able to put the mask on? Merlin couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

To end the spell, Merlin slid his hand back down the cup, only a fraction of an inch away from the cup until the liquid was settled peacefully at the bottom.

"Ok," he said, "now you try."

Gavin looked at him a moment longer before turning towards his own cup, that thoughtful look in his green eyes replaced by concentration. He said the same words that Merlin had, copying them with such precision that just that surprised Merlin. This boy really was smart.

_He must get it from his mother_, Merlin's mind joked. But he did have to admit that Gwaine was clever too.

In the end, it took Gavin four tries to get the water to rise at his command, but each time he failed, that spark of determination would become more and more profound in his eye, accompanying the patience in his posture. Gwaine encouraged him each time, like any father would, and the same with Gaius, like any mentor. And when the water did finally rise a little higher than the brim of the cup, Gavin let out a squeal of joy and Gwaine was there, hugging him and laughing.

Merlin felt his gut pinch just a bit more at the differences shown in his friends. His Gwaine didn't have a son. And Merlin hardly ever saw the emotions _this_ Gwaine was showing now. It was all _so_ odd and Merlin felt a pang of homesickness. He hadn't even been here a whole day yet –but everything just felt so _off_.

"Show off!" Abigail shouted, though she was smiling herself.

"Abigail," Gwen scolded half-heartedly.

More differences.

Each minute they sat there, their familiarity of each other and how they used to be crept up on them, but every minute they drew closer, Merlin felt like he was pulling back, or being left behind by all the things that had been altered in the twelve years he'd apparently missed.

He was suddenly aware of Arthur's brilliant blue eyes burning holes into the back of his raven-colored head and turned curiously. Arthur just continued to look at him, the silver in his hair accenting the blue even further. He narrowed his eyes ever so lightly as if reading Merlin. And Merlin knew that even Arthur could sense his slight discomfort, it wasn't hard despite Merlin's well-trained masks.

Arthur looked at him for a moment longer, Merlin not exactly meeting his eyes, before he looked past Merlin, glancing at the two children. "Abigail, Gavin, why don't you two go play outside, hm?"

Gwen looked at him curiously with scrunched eyebrows before she too noticed the air that was slowly filling the room. She turned to Merlin with soft eyes and understood.

"Ah, father, do we have to?" Abigail whined.

Guinevere smirked, turning her attention to her daughter whom of which had just plucked a grape off a vine and popped it into her mouth. "Yes Abigail. Now, go on."

Abigail let out a puff of air and climbed down from her chair. Gavin, still laughing with his father, climbed out of his lap and let his boots hit the floor before he stepped in line with Abby.

"Bye everyone!" He cheered just as Abigail opened the wooden door by the pull handle. "And thanks for teaching me that spell Uncle Merlin."

Merlin gave him a fond grin and felt his heart prick a little at 'Uncle, both with fondness and with a slight sense of discomfort. "You're welcome Gavin."

Abigail said her own quick goodbye's, running back to give her mother a quick peck on the cheek, before she and Gavin could be heard running too fast down the corridor –known to them because of a Lady's warning voice telling them to 'slow down before they run straight into something.'

Gwaine laughed and grabbed an apple out of the bowl on the table, plopping himself down in his original seat, on the right of Guinevere, before bringing his feet to rest further down the table. He took a bite out of the large apple and everyone could hear the squelching sound as it almost echoed around the room.

"Really?" Arthur scoffed. "What is it with you and apples?"

Gwaine grinned through a mouthful of white slosh and spoke between juicy, slurping crunched. "Apples… are _possibly_ the best fruit… in the world Arthur... And I honestly pity you… for not seeing this obvious fact."

"Fact?" Guinevere pointed an amused eyebrow.

"Of course!"

"You might as well marry an apple tree Gwaine," Gaius suggested with a fond smile.

Merlin laughed, his uneasiness lessening for a golden moment. "We could name an apple after him?"

Guinevere grinned as her brown eyes danced mischievously. "A Gwapple?"*

That had everyone in stiches. With the children gone, Merlin almost felt like he was _his_ group of friends; they all looked similar to their younger counterparts.

But soon enough, Merlin's questioning uneasiness returned and as far as he knew, it was felt by everyone else in the room as well. A certain silence that could be comparable to awkward filled the room before Merlin found his voice.

"Gaius… how is this… how am _I_…," Merlin struggled nervously. "What happened? How am I _here?_"

Gaius eyes widened slightly as he turned to his surrogate son, his eyebrow pointing with his own curiosity. "I do not know, my boy. I think all we can do is research."

Merlin nodded, agreeing. "I thought so."

Arthur felt a twist in his stomach, a feeling in between anxiety and curiosity, and, eager to change the subject, leaned back in his chair and squinted against the sunlight. "Time to go."

Merlin scrunched his eyebrows. "What? Where?"

"Council meeting, I told you."

"Now?"

"Well, still as slow as usual then, huh? Anyhow, you're not going _Court Sorcerer_, just me and Gwen. I think it would be a bit weird with you going right now."

"What about Gaius?" Merlin pointed his thumb beside him to emphasis his point.

Gaius chuckled. "I don't have to attend _every_ council meeting Merlin."

"Besides, I think all the councilors want to talk about nowadays is taxes. I swear, if I hear Lord Ronald say one more thing about raising taxes, I think I'll go mad!" Guinevere announced with a smile.

Merlin grinned. "I think it's a bit late for that, you did marry Arthur after all."

Arthur scoffed and rolled his eyes while everyone else laughed. "_Mer_lin," he said, his voice holding a slight tone of warning that laced with own amusement.

Merlin threw up his slender hands. "I regret nothing!"

This only made everyone laugh harder.

Rolling his cerulean eyes once more, Arthur stood and took Guinevere's hand in his. "Ready?"

Almost reluctantly –for she didn't want to leave her friends so soon- Gwen nodded, rising from her own chair and smoothing out her dress. "Alright."

Both walked towards the door, Gwen planting an affectionate kiss on Merlin's raven-black hair after Arthur ruffled it.

"We'll catch up with you guy's later," Arthur said.

Merlin nodded, trying to get _some_ order back in his hair. "Yeah, sure."

Arthur grinned. "Well, between Gwaine and Gaius, I'm sure you'll be kept busy."

Gwaine smiled mischievously.

"Look after Rowan would you?" Guinevere said, glancing back at the sleeping child in the crib a few feet away.

Gaius smiled fondly. "Of course Gwen."

"Thank you."

Arthur pulled the door handle and guided his wife out the door before leaving himself, saying their final goodbye's and shut the door tightly behind him.

"Nobles," Gwaine muttered. He took another squelching bite out of his juicy apple, Merlin watching the juices fly.

"Gwaine, you're a noble."

"You're point?" Another sucking sound as he took a large bite.

Merlin furrowed his eyebrow. "You just… you said," he shook his head. "Never mind."

Gwaine flashed him a devious smile. _Same old Gwaine_.

Just then, Rowan could be heard turning in his crib and Merlin looked at the other two occupants in the room. Gaius looked at him with a warmhearted grin, eyes dancing with happiness. Though whether that was because of his and Gwaine's short banter, or because he simply had his ward _there_, Merlin didn't know. Gwaine was glancing between Merlin and the crib, still holding his apple, almost lovingly, in his hand and taking occasional bites out of it.

He looked towards the crib once more when Rowan gurgled and looked at Gaius questioningly. At his guardian's small nod, he slowly stood and walked –almost excitingly- towards the wooden cradle. When he reached it, he leaned over and couldn't possibly help but smile affectionately at the squirming bundle below him, tangled in blue blankets.

Merlin carefully wrapped his long hands around the child and raised him out of the crib, letting out a surprised breath at how much such a small body weighed. He placed Rowan in the crook of his left arm, taking special care to support his head.

Sparkling brown eyes looked up at him, surrounded by cinnamon sprinkled skin and dark brunette hair shaping his round head. Rowan gurgled and Merlin snuggled him closer, cooing back and poked his stomach with his forefinger, making the young boy laugh and grab for Merlin's face.

"Who knew?" Gwaine guffawed as he came over, "The warlock has a way with children!"

Merlin rolled his deep blue eyes and smiled just before Rowan managed to grab a surprisingly tight handful of Merlin's coal-colored hair, making Merlin's grin to lessen and instead turn into a grimace as he –unsuccessfully- tried to untangle Rowan's fingers from his hair.

"A little help please?"

Gaius huffed a laugh and shuffled over as Gwaine crossed his arms over his broad chest, a clear sign that he wasn't going to help. The well-trained physician carefully pried the child's hands away from Merlin's hair and took the boy into his own arms.

Merlin ran his hands through his mop of hair, trying to lay it flat against his head in some semblance of a tidy hairdo. "Little guy's got a strong grip."

With a knowing look in his eyes and an amused smile, Gwaine laughed again, "Most babies do Merlin."

Merlin just rolled his eyes. "I _know_ that Gwaine, I _am_ a physician's apprentice."

"Ah, but you've never had a child of your own."

Merlin was about to say _neither have you_, when he thought of Gavin, sending another strange pang ringing through his chest. "So?"

"_So_ –"

"You two are impossible!" Gaius interrupted.

Both Merlin and Gwaine looked at him with amused smiles in their faces. Although Gaius noticed that Merlin's didn't exactly reach his brilliant blue eyes, making Gaius eyebrows furrow with concern before he erected a mask. But he made a note to speak to him later.

Rolling his own blue-grey eyes this time, Gaius chuckled, "Why don't you two go and do something, eh? I have some work that needs doing."

"What about Rowan?" Merlin wondered.

"Don't worry about him, I'll find his nursemaid."

"Alrighty," Gwaine hopped next to Merlin and grabbed his arm. "Come along Merlin, I'm sure we can find something to occupy our time!"

Merlin involuntarily groaned and sent Gaius a longsuffering look, only making the old man laugh as Gwaine shoved him out the door.

* * *

Arthur's nostrils flared and he glanced at his wife, seeing the same frustration –though better hidden behind her patient brown eyes- on her features. He rubbed his square face with his hand, squeezing his cerulean eyes shut as he tried to fight the headache coming on.

They'd been here for almost two hours now, and as Guinevere predicted, at first it had been about taxes. Then it had turned to the rising number of people traveling towards Lot's kingdom. After striking that out and deciding to wait until more could be learned, someone had –inevitably, for Arthur knew it had been coming and it was the reason he'd told Merlin he needn't come- someone brought the news of his return up.

"How do we know it is truly _Merlin_ sire?" Lord Howard asked heatedly.

"Lord Howard," Arthur said as though pained, "I've explained how we know it really is him, the method is common even among the Druids! There is no way for a person's _magic_ to _lie_."

"And how do we know this? Did _Mer_lin tell you."

Arthur's nostrils flared once more and he resisted the urge to grind his teeth. Howard was one of those who hadn't been particularly _keen_ on magic returning and even now he didn't want to accept it. After _twelve_ years! But Arthur didn't think it was so much the _magic_ as it was_ Merlin_. Because the reason Arthur hadn't already dismissed him was because he was a valuable councilor, one of his fathers' own, who added much to the court and its endeavors. But he had never approved of Arthur's relationship with Merlin, a prince at first and then a king, friends with a lowly servant. And it was only now that the man was openly hostile towards him.

Howard continued, his blue eyes flashing and using his arms to emphasize his statement with gestures. "How can we trust him _sire_ when we are not sure of his _identity_?! I mean, after _missing_ for _twelve_ years and turning up practically on our _doorstep_ after being suspected _dead_, don't you think it's a bit _ironic_ that it happens just as_ she _stirs up trouble?"

This time, Arthur stood and nearly pounded his fist against the wooden table. "_Lord Howard_, it is not for you to question the decisions of a King. Your job is to simply _advise_ me on the best course of action and leave me to make the final decision. If you cannot perform this duty, you shall be dismissed from this court. Is that understood?"

Howard, with a shocked expression on his face, couldn't even respond 'yes' or 'no' to his fiery king, only nodding skittishly.

"Good. Now, I have decided to _trust Merlin_ because I know that is exactly who it is. I do feel sorry that you are not able to see this simple truth, but perhaps that is because you were never friends with the man, which only makes me pity you more Lord Howard. And as for the news of Morgana, I shall deal with that as it comes, and I am _grateful_ that Merlin is back, as you should be, for he is possibly the only comeback we have against her. Actually we should count it as a blessing."

Arthur looked around his band of councilors, noting that most wouldn't meet his eyes, instead staring down at their papers while some took modest drinks of their water. Though one did meet his eyes, and that one, Lord Geoffrey of Monmouth, gave him an approving nod and a small proud smile. Arthur had to bite his lip to keep himself from grinning back, instead just giving him a thankful nod. Guinevere, at his right, took his hand on hers, giving him a proud nod herself. Arthur suddenly wished that Gaius were here as well, he was always a steady rock in the court.

"Now, if that is all that needs to be discussed, I think we all deserve a break. So until there is more news to be addressed, the council is dismissed."

* * *

Merlin didn't think he'd ever seen a more beautiful sight and his mind traced back to the first time he'd woken up this morning. He'd woken up, he'd bathed, gotten dressed, and had then skirted down the hallway to get to Arthur's chambers _but had never once looked outside_. Yes, of course he'd seen the light inevitably streaming in from the _open _windows but he'd never actually _looked_. But as he stood on the white front steps leading down towards the cobblestone courtyard, he wished he had.

Because he could see the magic. And it was everywhere. The very smell of it permeated the air, even Gwaine seemed aware of it. Several _servants_ were using it to clean the outside windows, levitating cloths and buckets of water. An elderly _Druid_ woman used it to bring water up from the deep well. And Merlin could see several other Druids amongst the scant crowd, marked by their long, forest colored cloaks.

"Wow," he breathed.

Gwaine, beside him, smiled and clapped him on the shoulder. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

Merlin glanced at him and couldn't help his smile from widening. He nodded.

"Seems like it took forever getting it this way."

Merlin's eyebrows scrunched with slight concern. "Really?"

"Yeah. Well, a few years, as expected. You know… opposition, stuff. Some complicated things. _Morgana._"

"Oh." Merlin said, attempting and yet failing to keep the slight dejection out of his voice. Of course they had always projected opposition, but hearing that it really happened and was a problem made it _real_. Or was he sad that he hadn't been there to face it himself? _Twelve years_ echoed through his mind.

Gwaine gave his shoulder a squeeze. "Hey," he waited until Merlin's face met his and another pang of brotherly affection swam through his heart as those deep blue eyes met his own savory brown ones. "It all worked out."

The corner of Merlin's mouth turned upwards into a half-smile and he nodded. Gwaine grinned and gave Merlin a friendly shove down the stairs. "Come on, it looks like you have fans."

Merlin felt his stomach jump as he looked out towards the crowd, seeing everyone glance at him as the passed, some even stopping altogether and gathering in groups to murmur, and some -namely the children- gathered up at the foot of the steps, pointing and listening to their older siblings whisper in their ears.

_Wonderful._

* * *

A knock at the door pulled Arthur from his thoughts. He set his quill down and ran a hand through his fair hair, cerulean eyes focusing before he called, "Come."

The large wooden doors to the throne room opened and Leon, Elyan, and Percival walked in, garbed in the same glinting chainmail and flowing red capes they'd left in, though now dirtied from their trip.

"Leon?"

With sand colored hair bouncing as he walked, Leon marched towards Arthur, Elyan and Percy trailing behind him. The man glanced at the latter two, before beginning his report.

"Sire, we spoke with the Druids like Gaius suggested, and they're getting the same reports as we are: Morgana's stirring up trouble."

Arthur sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "And Alined?"

Leon shook his head. "Nothing about Alined; it seems he'd keeping quiet since the last attack."

"Smart man," Arthur murmured, glancing down at the other reports before him.

"_But_," Leon's tone caught Arthur's attention, "the Druids have heard of an army amassing. They haven't heard who's army, but Morgana _and_ Mordred's name were mentioned frequently."

A sharp pang of fear passed through Arthur, but he successfully hid it from the Knights. A reminder at Mordred's 'destiny' flashed through his mind and he felt his stomach quiver. Mordred had always been in the back of his mind –their destinies were intertwined after all- but he'd been quiet until now.

"Mordred?"

Percival nodded solemnly. "Yes, sire."

Arthur sat back in his chair, a bemused look on his face as he laid his arms on the flat arms of his chair. "But why now?"

Leon, looking as perplexed as him, rested his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Arthur -."

Arthur's lip quivered between a half-smile and a frown; a smile at the use of his name, and a frown at the warning in Leon's voice.

"- It seems as though we are not the only ones who know of Merlin's return."

Arthur immediately sat up straighter, worry for his friend beginning to course through him. "What?"

"When we arrived, we were questioned about the boy; the Druids had already known of his return. It seems that all of _magic_ knew of his return, Morgana included."

"So, what?" Arthur used his hands to gesture. "She's out for… revenge? On Merlin?"

Leon swallowed. "We believe so, sire."

* * *

Moonlight filtered through the open window, letting the cool, fresh night air fill the room as a soft breeze tickled the maroon curtains. Merlin couldn't see it from his bed, but he already knew of the large harvest moon that filled the sky, almost pink as it rose over the deep blue horizon. He flipped over and gave his plush pillow a squeeze, drowning his cheek into the soft material as he drew his legs up and huddled into the covers. He wasn't cold, but he wasn't tired. Well, truth be told, he was exhausted, but he knew he wouldn't find sleep tonight. Merlin's mind was running too fast to even doze.

After Gwaine had introduced him to his 'fans' and reacquainted him with people he'd known since he'd first come to Camelot. Gwaine had even introduced Merlin to a group of Druids who were apparently visiting from King Lot's kingdom. He'd been there for over an hour with questions about what happened -in which he simply answered that they didn't know yet- and the children begging for stories, before Gwaine was able to pull him from the still-growing crowd.

After that, Gwaine had dragged him to the Rising Sun for a few drinks. And after getting past _that_ questioning crowd, the bartender was able to get them a table in the back, away from the majority of the drunken patrons. The bartender gave them a jug of mead with some stew for lunch, both 'on the house,' surprisingly. Gwaine had told him a few stories, including how he'd met his wife, who Merlin learned was named Airyauna, and who was coincidently, -to Merlin's great surprise- was Iseldir's niece, but those same words kept ringing through Merlin's head. _Twelve years_.

Throughout the whole afternoon, he'd had a deep, almost sick, feeling in his stomach that just wouldn't go away, along with a tight feeling in his chest. It was like the time he'd accidently used his magic to get back at a bully who'd punched Will. The bully hadn't seen him but his mother had. When they'd gotten him, his mother hadn't yelled at him, hadn't raised her voice once, just giving him this disappointed sad look, not saying a word all night. Merlin had felt absolutely rotten the rest of the day, not even able to sleep that night due to the guilt stirring in his gut. But he didn't feel guilt, just sick.

Even Gwaine eventually caught on, but then, he always seemed to know how others felt, even before they themselves knew it. He'd asked, with a worried eyebrow, if anything was wrong, but Merlin had just waved it off, saying it was nothing. Then he sort of fessed up when Gwaine carefully pressed, saying he didn't know. He knew Gwaine didn't believe him, but since he didn't exactly know anything either, he wasn't particularly lying.

Merlin buried his head in his pillow as that exact feeling dug in his gut once more. He let out a frustrated humph, knowing sleep would never come. His mind traced back to this afternoon.

Once they'd left the tavern, they'd caught up with other knights, whom of which had returned from patrol, and had just finished reporting to Arthur. They'd seemed a little cautious but didn't say anything about their patrol, instead chatting about menial things over a supper of roast beef in Gwaine's chambers, saying that Arthur and Guinevere were having their dinner with Gaius, needing to talk about some things. Merlin could only think it meant they were talking about him.

Over their large dinner, Merlin learned that Percival had also been married. To a young noble, the same one he'd always been seen with at banquets. Merlin had just laughed, "Of course."

Then he'd received a playful, in not painful, punch in the arm from said knight, whom of which was laughing as hard as him and the rest of the knights. Shortly though, the same sick feeling entered his stomach as his chest tightened and he excused himself, saying he was going to turn in. Gwaine had given him a questioning look, but he'd just waved it off, practically running to the guest chambers he was staying in before unconsciously slamming the door shut and locking it. He found himself leaning against the door, shaking and breathing heavily, both from the queasy feeling in his stomach and from running all the way across the castle.

He'd lit a few candles as his eyes flashed gold and splashed his face with cold water before drying it with a white towel. He quickly grabbed a passing servant and asked for water to be drawn for a bath, thinking that might help him settle down. Once the water was drawn, he added some salt and olive oil, remembering that Gaius would tell Arthur to do the same when he was under stress. Well, he was certainly under stress. He'd taken a long soak before changing into fresh, stark-white night clothes and climbing into bed.

As his mind returned to the present, he turned over once more and pulled the thick blankets over his head with a groan. After all he'd been through the past two days, he thought he deserved a good night's rest. Suddenly, a soft knock resounded through the room.

Merlin let out a puff of air and threw the covers back. Who'd be knocking at this time of night? Throwing his feet over the edge of the bed, he pushed himself off the mattress and stumbled to the window. It had to be close to midnight by now.

Running a hand through his unruly black hair, Merlin walked to the door, almost colliding with the table in the twilight. He found the latch on the door and pulled. When nothing happened he remembered that he'd locked it. Shaking his head to clear his mind, he unlocked it and pulled the handle again.

He narrowed his eyes against the bright torchlight in the corridor, and covered his face for a moment before hearing a soft laugh from the hallway. His eyes finally adjusting to the light, he found the person standing outside the door, curly hair and chocolate face framed beautifully by the golden light of the torch.

"Gwen?"

She smiled fondly at him. "Can I come in?"

Blinking away the yellow-orange spots in his vision, he took a few steps back, pulling the door open wider and allowing her entrance. With a hue of gold flashing in the darkness, and Guinevere's soft gasp, several candles came to life in the room. His eyes adjusted once more to the light and Merlin scrubbed his face with his hands. He was more tired than he thought. Merlin yawned and then let his hands fall, finally taking in Gwen's clothing: tight brown riding trousers, a decorative lavender colored riding shirt with a wide belt that hugged her middle, and knee-high boots.

With a befuddled look on his face, he asked, "What's going on?"

She just laughed, apparently not caring that Merlin was only in his night clothes, and walked towards the wardrobe. Merlin just watched her, confusion still written on his face. "Sorry if I woke you," she said.

"Not a problem," he responded wearily, "couldn't sleep anyway."

Guinevere scrunched his eyebrows and glanced at him with concern. "Really? Why?"

Merlin just shook his head, "Eh, I don't know."

Gwen bit her lip before opening the doors on the decorative wardrobe and digging out some of the clothes a servant had delivered earlier. She chose a pair of black trousers and a red shirt, pulling out a grey neckerchief to complete the outfit. Guinevere balled them up and handed them to Merlin before giving him a slight push towards the changing wall.

"Gwen, what's going on?" Merlin asked again, turning around.

Guinevere gave him a reassuring grin. "You'll find out soon." She turned him back around and pushed him behind the movable partition. "Hurry up and get dressed."

Letting out a breath of exasperation and yet feeling a smile come onto his own face, Merlin quickly changed into the clothes Gwen had given him before pulling his boots over his feet before coming out from behind the changing screen.

"Now what?"

She grabbed his hand in hers and pulled him out of the room with a devious smirk, shutting the door softly behind them as they left. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" Merlin whispered, trying not to draw attention to them both as his voice inevitably bounced along the corridor.

"Stables," she answered shortly. She suddenly pushed him into an alcove as a guard passed by, telling Merlin that she didn't want anyone else knowing they were apparently leaving either.

Merlin laughed and felt himself smile genuinely and knew his eyes were dancing with humor and mischief. "Alright, so_ where_ are we going after that?"

Gwen chuckled lightly, pulling his warm hand once more and feeling a rush of sisterly affection towards her friend as she led him into the courtyard, making Merlin's hair look almost silver. Guinevere thought that maybe if he were his correct age, well, twelve years older, he wouldn't look bad at all with streaks of shinning silver hair. She thought it made him look even more striking. "Don't worry Merlin."

She left him behind as she ducked into the stables, bringing two saddled horses out. She climbed onto one, and he followed her lead, giving her a lopsided grin when he mounted his own horse.

Guinevere gave him a sly grin, dimples more prominent than Merlin remembered. With eyes prancing in the moonlight, crow's feet enhancing her smile, she kicked her horse, and led Merlin out of the courtyard, through the lower town, then galloped into the moon lite forest.

* * *

*teehee to Autumn Moon Fae :)

Sorry for any grammar mistakes, I just got too annoyed at how long this took to write! Please review, those always make my day! :D


	7. A Night's Outing

Hey guy's! Don't worry, I have defiantly made good use of this five-day weekend and cold-thingy! Including writing this and working on my Merlin painting! (YAY!) I'm still working out the kinks and plotline and length. I know this won't be as long as What Happens, so I'm tentatively saying fourteen-ish chapters. I'm up to chapter nine right now and things are starting to progress more, so yeah. Thank you for all you're reviews by the way, they're always great to read!

Disclaimer: IDOM... and havn't yet seen 'Another's Sorrow,' so I'm kinda excited and nervous at the same time!

Enjoy!

* * *

_This one's for the lonely, the ones who seek and find, only to be let down time after time. This one's for the torn down, the experts at the fall, come on friends get up now, you're not alone at all._

_It comes and goes in waves, ah, ah, ah. _

_This is for the ones who stand, for the ones who try again, for the ones who try again, for the ones who need a hand, for the ones who think they can._

_It comes and goes in waves, ah, ah, ah._

-Greg Laswell, '_Comes and Goes'_

* * *

After racing past blurred trees, spots of grey moonlight flashing against the riders before they moved onto the next pool of whitish-grey beams, Guinevere slowed, breathless and yet energized by their fast pace. Merlin quickly came up beside her, their horses' flanks brushing against each other.

He felt his smile grew as she threw him her own brilliant grin. "Gwen, this is ridiculous! Will you tell me where we're going?"

Guinevere laughed, curly brown hair bobbing with the horses' gait. "No," she answered simply. Merlin just gave her an exasperated look and Gwen finally -well, partially- caved. "We're almost there."

"You know, I think it could be a bit questionable for a _Queen_ to sneak out of the castle in the middle of the night with another man," Merlin teased light-heartedly.

Gwen's laugh rang out with genuine mirth and more than a hint of love and fondness showed in her eye. "Not if they knew it was _you_ Merlin. You are a brother to me, everyone knows it."

Merlin's heart pricked with affection for her –whether it was his own, or this future version, she would never change- and he was reminded of their strong friendship. He would gladly give his life for her, and he knew it was the same way; Gwen would gladly give her life for his. Not that he would let that happen, but it defined, was a testament to the strength of their friendship.

"Besides," she continued, this time humorously, "I made sure we weren't followed. No one knows we're out here."

"Not even Arthur?"

"Not even Arthur."

Merlin smirked. "Gwen, I'm surprised at you!"

"What?"

"Sneaking out in the middle of the night, not telling anyone where you're at, or where you're going –."

"_Well_, Arthur usually knows, I just did tell him I was going out _tonight_."

"You do this often?"

"Often enough."

Merlin scrunched his eyebrows in confusion and slight concern. "Gwen, why?"

Guinevere gave him a reassuring smile. "It's alright Merlin; I don't get into any trouble. It's just good to get out of the castle every once in a while; when things get too big. Arthur usually knows, just not tonight's outing. I thought it would be good to get _you _out of the castle for a little while. No pressures."

What she didn't tell him was that Gaius and Gwaine both knew: she kept that to herself. She would tell him later, after they'd done what she planned to do. But Merlin himself was grateful. In truth, he'd been dying to get out of the castle, to get some fresh air, but he was kind of nervous to even leave his room for fear of having to face someone. But as much as he had wanted to be alone, Gwen's company was helping.

"Alright, so where are we going on 'tonight's outing?'"

Gwen just gave him a teasing smile, not answering, as she pulled the reins, making her horse stop and whinny. Merlin pulled his beside hers and dismounted, pulling his jacket closer to protect himself from the brisk night air. He was glad Gwen had tossed him his brown jacket before they'd left. Merlin walked around his brown mare and met Gwen just as she tied her horse to a strong branch. He did the same with his reins.

"Ready?" she asked as a mist of white cloud escaped into the air from her mouth, only proving how cold it was outside.

"Um, no?"

Guinevere laughed. "Good." She walked away from him, knowing he would follow, and disappeared in thick foliage.

Merlin jogged to catch up to his friend, grey neckerchief bouncing until he could slow down. Gwen threw him a grin just as they entered the clearing and then Merlin wanted to kick himself. He'd been talking with Guinevere the whole time, not even paying attention as he rode down the familiar path towards the clearing where he'd always met Kilgharrah.

"Gwen, what're we doing here?"

She gave him a look, one between mischief and tenderness. "Call them."

Merlin gave her a look of confusion. "What?"

"Call them," she repeated softly. "They're waiting."

"Who?"

Gwen rolled her eyes, amusement gracing her features as she laughed. "The _dragons._"

Merlin rolled his own blue eyes: she didn't have to sound so exasperating. While he was confused as to why she wanted him to call the dragons, he did as he was bid and slowly tilted his head backwards, gazing at the moon before letting his loud call echo around the clearing. Beside him, he sensed Guinevere shiver, but if it was from the cold or from the aura of power surrounding him, Merlin didn't know.

After he'd finished his call, he sat down in the long grass. Guinevere sat beside him and ran the long blades of grass between her fingertips, both content to wait patiently for the coming dragons. Something suddenly itched at Merlin's thoughts.

"Gwen?"

"Hm?"

"What…," he turned to fully look her in the face, "what did you mean by 'they're waiting?' How would you know that?"

Guinevere gave him a sidelong look, peering into his face as if looking for something. "Well, it's kinda of hard to explain."

Merlin narrowed his eyes in amusement, 'story of my life' rolling through his head. "Try me."

Gwen smirked. "Well, in short, Aithusa and I kind of have this… connection."

"Connection? What… like _mine_?"

The queen –though you wouldn't know it now- let out a short laugh. "No, nothing like your Dragonlord connection Merlin. Just… telepathically. I should actually thank _you_ for it."

"Me?" Merlin was sure his confusion at the whole situation showed on his face.

"Remember…," Guinevere paused, gazing sightlessly at the moon as she gathered her thoughts, "Remember, after your magic was revealed, you gave each of us a bit of your magic, tucking it away in case of emergencies? Well, after you… disappeared, Aithusa and Kilgharrah came looking for you after they couldn't sense you, and we decided that with your absence –we didn't know how long it would be- we would need a way to contact them if need be. I volunteered for something Kilgharrah explained, and it sort of… drew out and connected that little bit of Dragonlord magic in me –thanks to you- to Aithusa."

Merlin blinked, now _utterly_ bewildered but couldn't help his lip twitch at Guinevere's rambling. _"What?"_

Gwen rolled her eyes and lay back in the grass. "I can talk to Aithusa telepathically anytime I want, even ask him to come here. I cannot command them as you could, but I guess it's the same principal. Kilgharrah said so anyhow."

Merlin gave up and lay back in the grass next to her. "So why didn't you ask them to come now?"

Guinevere turned her head, her chocolate eyes boring into Merlin's and a soft and yet sad, sincere look passed over her face before she turned back towards the shinning moon. "They wanted to hear your call. It's been a long time."

Merlin felt that guilty sick feeling in his stomach again. "I'm sorry."

Gwen gave him a small smile. "Don't be, it's not your fault."

The warlock just sighed and put his hands behind his head, that sick feeling still there, but quieted a little as he closed his eyes.

"Merlin?"

"Hm?"

He almost missed the slight sadness in her voice. "Do you… like it here? So far?"

Merlin opened his eyes to find her's on his face. "I… guess so."

"But you don't want to stay."

It didn't sound like a question. But then again, Gwen always could see right through him.

Merlin opened his mouth, but closed it again when he couldn't find the words he wanted to say.

Guinevere's shoulder brushed against her friends. "It's alright Merlin." She bit her lip. "I wouldn't want to stay where I didn't belong either."

Merlin felt another pang of sickness. "Gwen." He waited until her face met his till he spoke again. "It's not… it's just… I don't know, something feels _off_. And I think I really do need to get back to my own time. It's not you… or anyone else, it's just…"

This time Gwen gave him a more genuine smile, but still sad, as she squeezed his hand. "It's ok. I understand. Why don't you talk about it with Kilgharrah? Gaius was thinking about starting research tomorrow morning. You should have seen him," she laughed genuinely, "_thinking_ doesn't even cover it. He looked _excited_ to be going through books to find how this all happened."

Merlin smiled back, picturing the elderly man doing just that. Gaius had always loved doing research, solving problems, mysteries. He laughed out loud, "He doesn't change."

Guinevere laughed with him before it dissolved into a companionable silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

They only had to wait five more minutes before the dragons covered the main part of the moon, casting large and shaky shadows over the large field. Merlin almost had to do a double-take as they landed, one next to the other, at the differences. His stomach jumped as he scrutinized the pair of dragons.

Aithusa was no hatchling anymore. His alabaster wings were wide, not that you could tell as they folded against his body, which, in itself, was probably about the size of the Rising Sun Inn. His pale scales glinted off-white in the moonlight and his brilliant blue-grey eyes were speckled with a still-maturing gold. And while he was still no match for Kilgharrah's immense size, even after twelve years, he had certainly grown into a large, formidable dragon.

Kilgharrah himself looked much the same: gold colored scales and even brighter eyes, the color of magic. He looked exactly the same, maybe a _bit_ bigger, but still. His sparkling flaxen colored eyes that practically glowed in the night held that mysterious, deep seated wisdom that –as far as Merlin knew- only Kilgharrah and Gaius could ever possess.

His presence seemed to calm Merlin down immensely. Maybe it was just having that presence that Merlin knew would never change, or if it was the deep connection they shared, much deeper than the connection he held with Aithusa, having been the first dragon Merlin had ever connected to with his powers. Merlin took a deep breath through his nose, feeling almost completely at ease for the first time he'd arrived.

"Young warlock," Kilgharrah's deep voice pierced the air, his voice affectionate as he bent his neck towards Merlin. "It is _good_ to hear your call again."

Merlin gave him a jovial smile. "Nice to see you too, Kilgharrah."

Kilgharrah nuzzled him a bit with his nose, smiling with a loving twinkle in his eye, and yet a teasing tone in his voice. "Twelve years is a long time young one."

Merlin nodded, his smile lessening slightly as he laid a hand on Kilgharrah's snout.

"Don't worry," Kilgharrah continued, "we'll speak later."

Now Aithusa stepped forward, bending his own neck and pushed Merlin lightly in the chest, Merlin almost losing his balance before he regained his footing.

"Merlin, I missed you," Aithusa said. His voice had dropped a few timbres, but that ever-dragonlike youth still laced it.

And even though it only seemed like a day since he'd first introduced Aithusa to Camelot in the first place, Merlin could truthfully say, "I missed you too."

Guinevere stepped forward and ran her hand across Aithusa's neck, the young dragon leaning into the touch. Merlin smirked at their obvious closeness. He and Kilgharrah shared a look, Kilgharrah's one of meaning and his own one of piqued curiosity and fondness.

"Ready?" Guinevere asked Aithusa.

Merlin scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. "Ready for what?"

Kilgharrah's voice answered him. "Guinevere did not tell you?"

Merlin scoffed. "She wouldn't even say where she was taking me."

"Gwen," Aithusa scolded.

Guinevere laughed. "Sorry, I couldn't resist."

Merlin just rolled his eyes. "So what didn't she tell me?"

"We're going to fly," Guinevere chirped happily. "Me and Aithusa, you and Kilgharrah."

"Really?" The surprise and skepticism in Merlin's voice was evident. Kilgharrah didn't really like anyone riding on him and Merlin even recalled the memory of Kilgharrah telling him that he 'wasn't a horse.'

"Yes _Mer_lin," Kilgharrah answered. "Guinevere thought we might get a moment alone to talk."

"You want to talk _in the air_?"

Kilgharrah narrowed his eyes, spreading his thoughts towards his Dragonlord.  
Through their connection, Merlin could hear the amusement and affection in Kilgharrah's deep voice. _"Telepathically obviously." _

Merlin laughed.

Knowing she'd missed something, Guinevere just climbed up in Aithusa's back, Aithusa craning his neck as she grabbed onto the ridges that grew on his back, matching his still-growing alabaster horns that decorated his head. She shifted in her seat, and Merlin couldn't help but think that she looked like she _belonged_ there, riding a dragon.

Kilgharrah bent down his own long neck, and Merlin, smiling excitingly, climbed onto Kilgharrah's head, holding onto the large horn he always did when he rode the golden dragon and before he knew it, they were airborne.

He could hear Guinevere's happy laughter somewhere on his right as the wind rushed through his hair, making his black mop fly backwards to clear his forehead. He squeezed his eyes shut as they adjusted to the rushing wind and took a deep breath as his lungs compensated with the lesser oxygen level. He didn't think he would ever get used to the initial butterflies and jump at take-off, but he would always relish that feeling of ecstasy and the thrilling, yet calming sensation of flight.

"Gwen?" Merlin called at the top of his lungs, and even then Merlin didn't think she'd be able to hear her.

"_Yes?"_

Merlin almost jumped as he heard Guinevere's voice in his head. _"How?"_

"_I told you, thanks to you, I can speak telepathically. Aithusa's helped me develop it so I can reach out by myself." _

"_Um, alright? Are you ok?" _

Merlin could feel Guinevere smile through their connection. _"I'm fine. _This_ is why I leave in the middle of the night after all."_

He should have known.

"_You alright?" _

Merlin smiled as the wind brisk air chilled his ears. _"I'm fine, thanks." _

_ "You're welcome." _

They stopped talking, both distracted by the scenery below them and around them. Dark-blue colored forests passed below them, the dragons shadow casting large patches of an even darker blue below them. Then, there was a beautiful lake, small waves shifting the colors of the water and Merlin knew it was the Lake of Avalon, the resting place of Freya and Lancelot. He felt Gwen's mind brush against his in comfort and then they were passing over more forests.

Above them, the moon shinned brighter than ever before and the stars twinkled against a deep blue sky, the only break being the purplish-red blurbs of galaxies above them. Then, on every side of them, the horizon was cut in two by the different shades of colors defining the grey-tipped mountains that was almost seemed painted against the sky.

Large cumulonimbus clouds lingered and soon enough they were entering them. Merlin felt drops of water cling to his hair and clothes as they cruised through the cloud. Several shinning beads gathered on Kilgharrah's flaxen scales and made them look an even more magnificent gold than they already were. He could hear Guinevere's laugh echoing in his head, which he quickly returned as they flew.

They flew through clear air before becoming engulfed in another large light-grey cloud and Merlin felt Kilgharrah bank right ever so slightly, but enough for Merlin to sense his connection to Guinevere wane slightly and to see Aithusa's pale body disappeared off to their left.

_"Kilgharrah, why are we moving off from the others?"_ Merlin re-affirmed his hold on Kilgharrah's horn, feeling his hair flying.

He could sense Kilgharrah's amusement through their telepathic link, but also knew that amusement was underlined with concern, he didn't have to sense that to know.

_"Merlin, it may have been twelve years, but I can still sense when something is troubling you. And I told you we'd speak." _

Merlin felt his lip twitch and felt a rush of appreciation towards the Great Dragon. He always knew, even without their Dragonlord connection, when something was bothering Merlin. He'd certainly had enough practice from all the times Merlin had gone to him for help, but it meant even more that Kilgharrah was the one that had pointed it out.

And as if in confirmation, Merlin slouched against Kilgharrah's horn and, at Kilgharrah's questioning, told the dragon everything that had happened since…_ his_ yesterday, which was introducing Aithusa to Camelot.

"_I don't know what to do Kilgharrah. I feel… as if I _owe_ them all. I missed _twelve_ years of their lives and I don't know how, or why… And I don't know how to get back."_

Some part of Merlin's mind registered that he was rambling, but he couldn't stop. It felt good to finally be able to talk to someone about it and not have 'twelve years' ringing in his head with an arrow of sickness piercing his gut.

_"I mean, I feel like I need to get back. This feels so… wrong. My magic feels like it's… _tingling_ with… I don't even know how to describe it…" _

The dragon beat his wings in the air a few times before soaring again, Kilgharrah's deep voice sounded in his mind, thoughtfulness added to it now. _"You don't have to young one; I feel it myself, through you. It is strange indeed." _

There was a pause before Merlin spoke again, a hint of desperation in his voice as he closed his eyes and pressed his forehead into Kilgharrah's horn. _"So what do I _do_ Kilgharrah?" _

Merlin could feel the comfort and consolation projected to him through their connection. Many wouldn't think so, but Kilgharrah did indeed care deeply for the young man. Merlin was the first friend he'd had in twenty years when he'd first found his cave, his _prison_ below Camelot. Merlin was the one who'd saved him from his own pool of self-loathing after not being able to save his kin, even forgiving Kilgharrah after he, out of blind selfishness, manipulated the boy for his own release.

And then he'd set him free, not only from those biting chains that Uther had, ironically, made with magic, but from himself. Yes, he'd been wrong to take his revenge on Camelot, but it had been that release of built up rage and fury that had allowed him to return to the peaceful, wise dragon he'd been before the Purge. And then their connection had only gotten stronger when Merlin –even in the most horrific circumstances- became a Dragonlord himself, confronting Kilgharrah with that same raw pain that the dragon felt himself at the loss of his kin, meeting him with understanding. Their connection was almost like that father/son relationship Merlin had with Gaius, but Merlin felt like he could be more open with Kilgharrah, not having to hide things that would make people like Gaius worry.

_"Do not fear old friend, we will find the solution to this. As for what to do, as the young queen mentioned, find out as much as you can about his event. I shall speak to the Druids tomorrow to see if maybe they have knowledge of such an event. I am sorry, Merlin, that I cannot help you more." _

Merlin knew he was sincere, and even though Kilgharrah hadn't really given him a clear direction of what to do –whether to work on getting back to his own time, or to adjust to the change and stay- Merlin felt his mind calm considerably. _"No, thank you." _

Kilgharrah nodded, not that Merlin could see it and Merlin felt him bank further to his left, crossing over a landscape Merlin had already seen. Merlin could feel his eyes beginning to droop and yawned for the first time that night. They'd had to have been out nearly two hours by now, and as Kilgharrah descended into the familiar clearing, Merlin was slightly surprised to see it empty as he climbed off of the dragon's neck.

_"Where are the others?"_

Kilgharrah smirked, settling himself down in the clearing with his belly flattening the green grass and head resting in his forepaws, tail curling around his side as he spoke aloud. "I'm sure they'll be back soon. Come, rest."

Kilgharrah blew a low fire over his forepaws, heating them so that as Merlin, taking the hint, settled down next to them, they were warm enough to fight off the brisk cold that pierced the night air.

Merlin leaned his head against a large golden scale, relishing the goose bumps that crawled on his skin at the welcome change of heat, his mind at ease for the first time that night. And soon enough though, he felt a gentle hand on his arm, shaking him awake –when had he fallen asleep?- and he opened his weary blue eyes to soft brown ones, a small and understanding smile gracing his Queen's lips.

His voice was rough as he spoke through his exhaustion. "Gwen?"

Said person giggled and grabbed his shoulder and elbow, helping him to his feet. "You fell asleep Merlin."

Merlin rubbed his eyes and ran a hand through his raven black hair. "What time is it?"

"About three in the morning," Kilgharrah answered and Merlin, having forgotten about the dragon, snapped his head up to see the caring golden eyes of the dragon looking at him from where his head still rested next to his paws.

Guinevere laid her hand on Merlin's arm. "We need to get back."

Merlin nodded, saying quick goodbyes to both Aithusa and Kilgharrah before the Great Dragon's voice sounded in his head.

_"Meet me here in three days time young one. I should have found something to help us by then." _

Merlin turned around from when he'd been walking away with Guinevere and nodded. Gwen, knowing she'd missed something, didn't press but slipped her hand in Merlin's at the saddened look on his face.

_"It would have taken a considerable amount of power to travel through time, if that is what it is, so look for powerful sorcerers." _

With that, both dragons took off, leaving Merlin and Guinevere to walk back to where they had tied their horses. Leaves crunched underneath their feet and Guinevere gave Merlin a glance before looking forward again.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Merlin, startled from his secret thoughts, blinked. "What?"

"Whatever's troubling you? Please Merlin, I know you too well not to have noticed."

In the darkness, Merlin couldn't see any of the signs of ageing he'd seen from Gwen earlier, maybe that was why he answered more genuinely than before. "I'm just not sure if I should stay. My magic is almost… warning me. It's all tingly and… odd."

"Did you speak with Kilgharrah about it?"

Merlin nodded. "He said he'd going to speak with the Druids about it and that we should just find out as much as we could about it. He said we'd take it from there. But, I don't know…"

Gwen nodded, but Merlin couldn't see the forced smile on her lips, he could only hear the sincerity in her voice. "Merlin, it doesn't matter what you decide; you'll still be my best friend. If your magic is… _warning_ you, then maybe you should listen to it."

In truth, maybe she was relieved. After the report that Leon had brought back, Guinevere wasn't sure Merlin should be anywhere near Camelot. Morgana had been relatively quiet the past few years, but the news of Merlin's return seemed to unseat the already unstable woman. Gwen thought that maybe Mordred was the reason for her resent silence, but they all knew it couldn't last: she was coming back.

Even Gaius had agreed that maybe it was best to get Merlin out of Camelot. And where else would he be safer than twelve years in the past? The downside was that it would feel like she was losing her best friend… again. Because that's what it was. They'd lose Merlin again.

Guinevere felt a hot tear slide down her cheek just as her nostrils flared and quickly brushed it aside as Merlin thanked her for understanding. Just then, they reached the horses and untied them in silence, mounting them just the same.

Gwen pulled on the reins and angled her steed towards the path that would take them towards Camelot, Merlin following a few paces behind, to her left. He missed the second tear slide down Guinevere's cheek and her hasty wipe of her eye and she resisted a sniffle. She pulled herself together just as Merlin came up beside her, inspecting her face.

"What's wrong?" Maybe he hadn't missed it.

Guinevere gave him a forced smile -both saw it- and shook her head. "Nothing."

"Guinevere." Merlin never used her full name. It was always 'Gwen.'

"Merlin," her voice cracked and Merlin grabbed her hand. "Gaius said…," she swallowed, "that if choose to leave, if we _find a way_ to get you back, we probably won't see you again."

Merlin bowed his head, his voice low. "Gwen, I don't know what's going on, or what's going to happen, and I can't make any promises but…"

A small smile pulled at Guinevere's lips. "It's alright Merlin, I understand."

There was a moment's pause at Gwen gathered her thoughts. "Why don't we just see how it goes?"

Merlin nodded, smirking.

The rest of the ride back to Camelot was peaceful. A soft breeze whistled through the thick forest and Merlin shivered, longing for the warmth of his bed, Guinevere seemed unperturbed by the chilly air, but Merlin surmised that she must have been at least partially accustomed to it since she'd been out here more often to ride Aithusa.

As the tall white-washed walls of Camelot grew as the rode beside them, Merlin glanced at Guinevere with a curious, yet amused glint in his eyes. "So, how often _do_ you sneak out of the castle, _my lady_?"

Guinevere huffed a short laugh, her sadness washed out by the smile lighting Merlin's face. It always worked; Merlin's smile. Whether it was for Guinevere, or Arthur, or Gaius, or even a random person in the street, Merlin's bright smile would give even Gaius' remedies a run for their money.

"Not as often as I like actually. Maybe once a week if I can get away, and I _do_ usually tell Arthur when I'm going."

"And tonight?"

"Well, it was special. Besides, Gaius and Gwaine know anyway."

Merlin grinned. "Of course they do."

Just as they reached the stables, both dismounted and lead their horses into their stales respectively. They talked and joked and laughed about nothing, feeding and watering their horses. By the time they were done, a deep purple lined the horizon and both knew they only had a few short hours until the sun was fully up.

Merlin walked Guinevere to her room before giving her a goodnight hug. With a yawn, Gwen disappeared into her room, closing the door behind her. Merlin grinned and covered his own mouth as he yawned, ignoring the stare of a passing guard.

After what seemed like forever, he arrived at his own room. He ran his hand through his black hair as he opened the door, shutting it quietly behind him and not even bothering to change his clothing as he flopped into bed. He closed his eyes and almost as soon as he did so, he fell into an uneasy, dream filled sleep. Though Merlin didn't know if it could be called dream filled, as much as nightmare… or _memory_ filled nightmare.

It first started as Merlin's mind clouded with blue-grey, frazzled clouds, images flashing in the clouds. Merlin once again felt that cold shiver down his spine that he felt when he entered the whirlwind that first brought him here, unconsciously snuggling further into the covers as he saw it in his mind.

Then came Arthur, Guinevere, the Knights, and Gaius, sitting in their thrones and standing against pillars, respectively, eyes wide and faces shocked. Some part of Merlin's mind connected these images to the images he saw in the crystal just before he came here. Gods, that felt like so long ago.

After that Merlin saw was himself and Kilgharrah in their meeting place, but he didn't recognize this one so guessed that this _particular_ meeting hadn't happened yet. Then a view of Mordred again, the image sending more shivers down his spine.

"Merlin?"

Then his chest felt like it was being crushed and he screwed his eyes shut in protest of it. He felt his arms cradling a limp body and felt a hand on his shoulder. Merlin tried to shake it off as the image warped. His shoulder was shaken again and the clouds were slowly shaken away with it.

Merlin slowly, drowsily, peeled his eyes open to see a large pair of fretful, auburn brown eyes. He felt his glazed eyes flutter shut once more in exhaustion and Gwaine shook his shoulder once more.

"Merlin… _mate_."

Merlin opened his eyes to just slits, blue peeking out from red-rimmed eyes, and his voice crackly from sleep. "What Gwaine?"

"Are you alright?"

It seemed like everyone was asking that question as of late.

"You looked like you were having a nightmare," Gwaine explained.

_Might as well have been_, Merlin mused silently. Unlike the first time he'd looked into the crystal, these images were burned into his mind. That feeling of weight was still heavy on his chest from the last image; stomach twisted with familiarity from the earlier two, and intertwined with a feeling of dread.

Though instead of just giving Gwaine a straight answer, Merlin sat up, with his friends' assistance –because of it had been up to him, or just his body, or even just his mind, he would have crashed back onto the bed from the dizziness and queasiness he felt- and answered Gwaine cryptically: "Never look into a crystal."

Gwaine, his hand still on his friends' shoulders, gave him an odd and confused look, scrunching his eyebrow as his eyes showed an even deeper concern. Seeing it, Merlin felt a hint of guilt and added, "Never mind, it's nothing."

Gwaine raised one eyebrow higher than the other. "And as much as I _don't_ believe that, we need to get going."

Merlin slowly pushed himself off the bed, taking a moment to gain his bearings. "Where?" He rubbed his eyes and stretched before splashing water on his face.

"Gaius' chambers."

Merlin walked over towards the wardrobe, pulling out a change of clothes –ones that didn't smell like dragons and horses- and went behind the changing screen. "Why?"

"Didn't Gwen tell you?"

Merlin, slipping fresh tunic over his bare chest, gave the changing screen a confused look before he remembered that Gaius and Gwaine both knew about his and Guinevere's little outing. "Um… maybe?"

He heard Gwaine laugh and -for heaven's sake- the crunch of an apple.

"Gaius wanted to start doing research this morning."

Merlin stepped out from behind the changing screen wearing brown trousers, a blue shirt, -sleeved rolled up to his elbow to show toned forearms-, and a red neckerchief. "Oh, right."

Gwaine rolled his eyes and laughed, walking towards the door and holding his apple in his hand. "Come on, sleepy head."

Merlin trailed tiredly behind him, hiding his frown that was created by that weight in his chest. He'd have to talk to Kilgharrah about that later. And while he followed Gwaine out the door, he mused about how he wasn't looking forward to reading all morning as much as he was to find out _how_ this happened, and _maybe _if there was any way of getting home.

* * *

Hope you guy's liked it! :) And please review! I already have the next chapter written, but I think I'll wait a little while to try and get ahead a bit, and so I know how this story is progressing. Thanks again!

Also, hope you liked the Gwen bit with how she has a connection with Aithusa... that'll be brought up more and expanded on later, don't worry, but I'd love to hear your comments on it! :)


	8. Looking For Clues

Sorry for how late I'm updating this; we had an assembly in school in honor of Veteran's Day which made me miss Study Hall. But here's Chapter 8! YAY!

*SPOILERS* Have you guy's seen the Disir? Holy cow, that just about had me crying, and when Merlin said that magic could have no place in Camelo, I banged my fist on the table! That killed me in itself! They were _sooo_ close! :( But anyway, I haven't seen the next episode so I can't say anything about it!

Disclaimer: IDOM

Enjoy!

* * *

_'If you can't understand someone's silence, you will have a hard time understanding someone's words.'_

* * *

Gwaine walked right into Gaius' chambers without knocking, Merlin lagging a few steps behind him. The rooms' three other occupants snapped their eyes to the door as it banged against the adjacent wall.

"-but then my tongue got stuck to my sword!" Gwaine narrated happily.

Merlin rubbed the bridge of his nose. _"Gwaine_, what on _Earth_ would possess you to lick your sword _in the middle of winter?"_

Gwaine spread his hands exasperatingly. "It was a _dare!"_

"And clearly the other soldiers weren't too _brilliant_ than either."

Guinevere, Arthur, and Gaius all shared astounded looks, amazed smiles gracing their faces as they pointed their eyebrows.

"Not when they'd just been to the tavern!"

"Oh, for heaven's sake Gwaine!"

"Um…" Guinevere stopped at a loss for words.

Gaius gave her a grin and stepped forward to embrace Merlin. "Good morning, my boy."

Merlin hugged him back, smiling wearily. "Good morning."

Gaius took in his slim form. "Have you eaten yet?"

"Yes. Gwaine wanted to swipe something from the kitchens. _Then_ Mary caught us and we didn't think she'd ever stop giving us food."

"Well _you_," Gwaine laughed. "I don't think she cares for me much."

"Maybe that's because you _steal_ all the food."

Gwaine rolled his eyes. "Oh, because you don't help us at all."

Merlin gave his friend a brilliant grin.

"_Anyway,_" Arthur interrupted with mock annoyance. "Merlin, you were supposed to be here an hour ago."

Merlin still couldn't believe that this wasn't _his_ Arthur, but a future Arthur; his tone just made it twice as difficult to differentiate the two. "Well, no one told _me_ that. I woke up to Gwaine shaking my shoulder."

Gwen bit her lower lip, but grinned. "I think that might be my fault."

Arthur gave her a pointed look, fondness and exasperation communicated through his knowing smirk. "You didn't?"

The Queen nodded, a slight blush creeping into her face. "Gaius and Gwaine thought it was a good idea."

"Gwaine would think _anything _is a good idea."

"Would not!" Gwaine shot back, crossing his arms over his chest.

"And what about the story you were just telling Merlin?"

Gwaine huffed out a laugh, opting not to answer instead.

"Plus, Merlin looks like he hasn't slept all night!"

Arthur gestured to Merlin, who, unbeknownst to everyone until now, had sat down on one of Gaius' benches and was now leaning forward with his raven-colored head in his entangled arms, eyes closed blissfully, dozing.

Gwaine, with a deep look in his brown eyes, leaned into the half-circle made by Arthur, Gwen, and Gaius. "When I got to his chambers, he looked like he was in the middle of a nightmare."

Guinevere shot Merlin a concerned stare, joined by Gaius and Arthur before Guinevere spoke, her voice was as low as Gwaine's. "He seemed alright when I left him last night."

Gaius, looking a few years older, commented, "We all know how well Merlin is at keeping his secrets. He's been under a tremendous amount of stress lately -."

"But I thought talking to Kilgharrah would have relieved some of that?" Guinevere whispered, her brown eyes flickering between Gaius and Merlin to make sure he wasn't aware of their conversation.

Arthur flickered his gaze to his wife's fretful face._ That's _why she'd taken him to see the dragon. It made sense, that talking to Kilgharrah might help, heck it helped _him _on occasion, but even then it didn't explain the nightmares Merlin was allegedly having the previous night. Arthur still hadn't said anything, just moving his eyes to look thoughtfully Merlin's back with his arms crossed against his broad chest, cerulean blue eyes glazed.

"It might have done, but we don't know what he's going through. You didn't tell him about Morgana, did you?"

Guinevere shook her head. "Not a word."

Gaius nodded. "Did he say anything to you?"

"He said… that his magic felt weird," she offered with furrowed eyebrows. She bit her lip, this time for a different reason. "And that he felt like he needed to get back to his own time."

"And did Kilgharrah say anything?" Gwaine inquired.

"He told Merlin that he would speak to the Druids about it, see what they know and if anything like this has happened before, but I think that's it."

The physician sighed, angling his body to look at his young ward. He was clearly dozing, if not completely asleep. The light rings that had rounded his eyes when he'd walked in proved just how much sleep he'd gotten the previous night.

"Well, let's start our own research shall we?" Gaius suggested. "I assume you and Guinevere have things to attend to?"

Both the king and queen nodded, Arthur , speaking for the first time, saying he had to train the knights in case there was an attack coming, and Gwen saying that she had to meet with the council to decide the best plan of action regarding the rumors and reports of Morgana.

"Aw!" Gwaine complained. "Do we have to train?"

Arthur gave him a mock-annoyed look. "Are you a knight?"

"Um, no?"

"Well, I guess you could always clean the stables."

"I'll go get my sword!"

"Actually Arthur, I could probably use Gwaine's assistance," Gaius said, his hands clasped in front of him.

"Really?" Arthur asked, sounding surprised.

Gaius nodded. "I was thinking about going down to the Vaults to investigate the room Merlin spoke about. Gwaine might be of some use to me."

Arthur looked intently at Gwaine. "Well, he is my best knight anyway." Arthur spread his hands. "Alright, well, he's yours for the day, I guess"

Gwaine, smiling widely, threw an arm around Gaius shoulders. "I owe you one, Gaius!"

Gwen smirked, bidding a longsuffering-looking Gaius farewell as she followed her husband out the physician's door. She glanced once more back at Merlin before shutting it behind her.

Gaius walked towards Merlin before laying a gloved hand on the boy's back and rubbing it. "Merlin?"

Soft blue eyes opened and loyally looked up at Gaius. "Hm?"

"Wake up, my boy."

"Wasn't asleep," he muttered half-coherently

Gaius grey eyes softened with fondness. "Alright. Well, come on, I want to see this 'room' you spoke of."

Merlin, letting out a yawn, nodded before taking a sip of the fresh water Gaius gave him. He stood from where he'd previously been slouching and glanced at Gwaine, surprised to find the room empty besides them. He furrowed his thick eyebrows and stretched, voice high as he asked, "Where're the others?"

Gwaine snorted and quirked his eyebrows. "Well, while you were asleep -."

"I wasn't sleeping."

The knight huffed a short laugh. "Sure. Well, while you were _resting your eyes_ to a more extreme degree, they left."

"Well that's not very nice."

Gwaine lifted his hand to stroke his stubbly chin as if deep in thought. "It's not isn't it?"

"Didn't even say goodbye."

Gaius barked out his own unique laugh and Merlin gave him an impish, lopsided grin, eyes dancing. There never was an end to Merlin's unexplained humor. But even through that, Gaius, knowing Merlin maybe better than he knew himself, could see past that half-acted façade. He could still see the weariness in the young man's eyes, the uncertainty in his stance, and the sense of wrongness the man sensed.

Anyone who couldn't see it would be easily tricked by Merlin's disarming smile, as most were, but not Gaius, and not Gwaine. But they would play along –for now- if it meant Merlin wouldn't be more weighted down by the knowledge they knew. Because as silly as it was, they knew that Merlin felt _guilty_ when people felt sorry for him, were concerned for him. And while he did appreciate their concerned faces and helping hand, he felt like he was burdening them, his _friends_, whose purpose was to _be_ there for him. Merlin would always be selfless like that; it's what made him… well, _Merlin._

Gaius, with one last half-forced laugh, grabbed a few things off the table, namely, a magnifying glass, a notepad, and a quill before putting them into his medical bag and gesturing for Merlin to lead them out. He did, chatting with Gwaine and Gaius about nothing, leading them deep into the palace, to the Vaults, where they would hopefully find some much needed answers.

* * *

Guinevere's short heels clicked along the alabaster floor with her graceful gait. The long brown curls of her hair bounced against the deep blue of her dress and her thoughts were -inevitably- on Merlin.

He'd only been here for two short days and already she –as she's told him last night- thought of him as a brother. It wasn't hard; she'd never stopped, even after twelve years. As like every sister would be, she was worried about her brother.

The nightmares he'd had last night were obviously new because, for one, he hadn't had them the first night he'd been here. He'd slept soundly through the night. She would know after all with all the times she'd checked on him, not being able to sleep herself.

Two, he seemed healthy enough for them to be new. Gwen, with a short shudder, remembered how Morgana was when she'd had her nightmares. She wouldn't eat really anything, sometimes missing whole meals. Merlin had eaten this morning, Gwaine and Mary had been there, and Guinevere _knew_ for a fact that Mary would have given him plenty.

And three, when Guinevere had wished him a goodnight last night, he hadn't had that slightly disturbed look in his eye that she'd seen this morning when his guarded mask had slipped ever-so-slightly.

But what could be the cause?

Guinevere understood that Merlin had been under a ridiculous amount of stress lately, what with _traveling_ through_ time._ But was that the cause of her friends' nightmares? She knew from personal experience that enough stress could cause such night terrors; the first month of being queen had taught her that. But Merlin had been there to help her, heck; he'd been the only one to _know_…

"_Gwen?" The quiet call resounded through the room._

_She was late to breakfast; something Arthur, Guinevere, and Merlin had made a habit of doing together. Concerned, Arthur, needing to attend a council meeting, had told Merlin to go and make sure everything was alright, not that the young man had needed prompting. _

_He went to her chambers and had found her lying in her bed in her nightgown, tear stains on her face. Eyebrows pinched, he sat next to her on the bed. _

"_Gwen, what's wrong?" _

_She tried to bury her head in her damp pillow. Merlin's multi-faceted blue eyes softened and he laid a warm hand on her shoulder, giving her unspoken support. Guinevere finally sat up at her own initiative, flinging herself at Merlin until his comforting arms were around her. And she cried. _

_Eventually, when her tears were all gone, Merlin had tried once again. "What's wrong?"_

_Guinevere sniffed. "Am I doing a good job?" _

_Merlin furrowed his brow. "What?"_

"_Am I a good queen?"_

_Merlin, without even needing to think, answered. "Of course you are."_

"_Then why do I feel like I'm not?" _

_Merlin hugged her tighter, showing that uncharacteristic wisdom that was brought out when his friends needed him. "The people love you Gwen. No one could be doing a better job than you are, not even a nobleman. The people believe in you, but it counts for nothing if you don't believe in yourself."*_

_Every word lifted Guinevere's heart, and slowly, she lifted her head from Merlin's chest. Merlin, for the first time that morning, got a good look at her face. He saw the weariness and the exhaustion, the dark rings around her eyes, and the vulnerableness that only came with nightmare._

"_Have you been sleeping well?" _

_Gwen shook her head. _

"_Nighmares?" _

_She nodded._

"_Why didn't you say something?" _

_Guinevere bowed her head. "I couldn't."_

'Because it would show weakness'_ went unsaid. Oh, Gwen. She'd barely been queen for two weeks and she was already setting too high of standards for herself. _

"_Gwen, you know you can tell me anything and I won't think any less of you. I promise you that." _

_She gave him a small, grateful smile. He returned it with a lopsided grin, knowing he'd gotten through to her. _

"_Why don't you take the day off?" _

_She shook her head. "I can't; I have so much to do." Gwen glanced at the stack of paperwork on her desk as if to emphasize her point._

_Merlin frowned until an idea came to mind, making him smile once more. "Ok, why don't you get some rest? I'll tell Arthur you're ill, and are not to be disturbed and get you a sleeping draft for tonight. Then I'll -" he squeezed Guinevere's shoulder when he sensed she was going to interrupt. "- come back in half an hour with some food, and we'll do the paperwork together." _

_He gave her that look –the one with his eyes dancing, his grin wide and caring, and his face the very epitome of brotherly affection- that she couldn't say no to. So Gwen just bobbed her head and lay down again, embracing the warm blanket Merlin covered her with –little did she know that he had put a little magic in the air to make her less stressed, allowing her to rest peacefully until Merlin returned, doing exactly as he'd promised and helping her every step of the way. _

Gwen's heart warmed at the memory, only cementing her want to be there for Merlin. Maybe it was the stress that caused Merlin's nightmare, maybe it was just an added weight to whatever was really bugging him?

Guinevere glanced at her husband's face as he walked on her right. His sharp features were clearly in deep thought and Gwen knew just what –or rather, just_ who-_ he was thinking about. Guinevere knew that her own bond with Merlin was strong, but compared to the bond between Merlin and Arthur, her's was infinitely small. They were more than brothers; they were two halves of the same coin.

She remembered how he'd acted when Merlin had first disappeared. He hadn't slept properly or eaten properly for nearly a month, and then only because Gaius threatened to slip a sleeping draught into _everything _he did eat. Not that he didn't anyway –well, not in everything, just in enough to help him get a good night's rest. Eventually Arthur even thanked Gaius for it, and Gaius had told her in confidence that Arthur hadn't stopped crying on his shoulder all night that vile day.

But the point was that Arthur's was completely _broken_ when Merlin left. It had taken him _years_ to come to terms that Merlin was gone and Guinevere still thought he wasn't over it. Every anniversary he went off somewhere alone for hours on end, just mulling over that dreadful day. Even his reactions to what they thought was an imposter –who really _was_ Merlin- proved how fractured he still was.

And now Merlin was back, and Gwen knew their connection was as strong as ever. The coin had been repaired.

But for how long? Even now Gwen knew that Gaius, Gwaine, and Merlin were trying to find out how this happened, maybe how to return him back to his own time.

Gwen looked at Arthur again, studying the look on his face. His intense blue eyes were vacant, dull in distant thought and his face was expressionless. And she recognized that look. He always had it plastered on his face when he was pondering something of great importance. Usually that great importance would be something that affected the whole of his kingdom… or something that affected one of his close friends, namely, Guinevere, Gaius, Gwaine, Leon, Percival, Elyan… or Merlin.

Arthur knew what was wrong with Merlin.

Guinevere abruptly stopped walking and after a few minutes, Arthur noticed her absence. Blue eyes losing their thoughtful intenseness as he blinked for the first time in minutes, he stopped, and glanced back along the sunlit corridor.

His brow pinched just as hers was, though for different reasons. "Guinevere?"

She walked up to him and grabbed his callous hands in her own lithe, soft ones. Her questioning chocolate brown eyes danced around his face, and she bit her lower lip. "You _know_ what's troubling Merlin," her statement –for that's just what it was- left no room for argument.

Arthur's face crumpled in his resolve and his eyes took on a deep, knowing look as he nodded. "I might just."

"What is it?"

Arthur bit the inside of his cheek, fumbling for words. "Remember… just before he left…." Arthur shook his head, starting over. "The day we introduced Aithusa to Camelot, afterwards, he and I went down to the Vaults. Remember?"

Gwen nodded cautiously.

"We looked around for a bit, but then I went back to Gaius' chambers, can you recall why?"

Guinevere visually groped for the right answer, eyebrows drawn together and forehead crinkled. He gave her a moment –it was twelve years ago after all- and then her eyes lit with understanding.

"The crystal!"

Arthur nodded. "To him, it was just _two _days to our _twelve_ years."

Gwen sucked in a breath. "You think he's suffering from the effects?"

The king nodded once more. "It might explain the nightmares."

"Of course! And with _that_ added to everything else that's happening, it's no wonder."

Guinevere's mind trailed back to the first few days after Merlin's secret had first been revealed and more specifically, when she'd talked to him in confidence when they'd arrived back in Camelot. She'd went to ask Gaius a question about the next day's council meeting since Arthur had already gone to bed, and she'd ended up sitting at one of Gaius' benches and eating fresh made stew as Merlin went into further details about his magic and some of his stories. He told her he hadn't wanted to go _that_ far into detail with_ everyone_ there, but he didn't mind telling Gwen.

At her concerned questions, he told her that after he'd looked into the Crystal of Neatid, either times, he couldn't sleep properly days after, not being able to turn his mind of at night. Merlin said that he'd either stayed up all night, dreading the events he'd seen, or he'd had intermediate nightmares about them and what the worst possible outcome could be for the events.

Needless to say, there had been plenty of comfort as he retold his story and Guinevere had reaffirmed her belief that Merlin was the strongest person she knew.

"Are you going to talk to him?" Gwen asked. She wanted to do it herself, but Arthur had been the one there when he'd viewed the crystal, he was the one who knew how to help Merlin best this time.

He nodded, "I was thinking about it, but you know how he is…"

Arthur recalled the hesitant promise Merlin had made to him to talk about that very subject, but Arthur didn't want to push him. He knew from experience that pushing Merlin into a delicate subject would go one of two ways: one, he would open up completely and spill everything… or two; he would close himself off completely and make himself nearly impossible to talk to.

Guinevere squeezed his hands, her face earnest. "Yes, but you have to _try_."

Arthur knew she was right, if he didn't try how would they help him? His mind set, he nodded. "I will, I promise."

The former maid gave her husband a proud smile. "Thank you."

He gave her his own smile.

"When will you talk to him?"

"Tonight, maybe… if I can get him alone."

Guinevere nodded. "That would be best. Just do it soon, alright?"

He nodded in agreement, knowing that if he didn't, it would only hurt Merlin more.

"I'd better go," Guinevere grinned.

It was only then that Arthur realized how much time had passed; they must have been standing for the last fifteen minutes –which meant he was supposed to have been at the training ground five minutes ago, and Guinevere was supposed to have been at the council meeting around the same time.

Arthur laughed and gave Gwen a small peck on the forehead. "I'll see you at dinner, alright?"

Guinevere smiled and nodded. "I think Abigail wanted _cake_ for dinner tonight."

Her husband rolled his eyes and let out an exasperated breath. "Oh, wonderful."

He got the desired effect when Gwen laughed and they said their final goodbye's, walking their separate ways.

* * *

Merlin felt his magic itch beneath his skin as he waited for Gwaine to open the door to the Vaults. It felt like it was spiking and it made him feel jittery. Was it from the powerful magic he felt coming from the Vaults? Was it because he knew the Vaults held the Crystal of Neatid, who's renewed visions danced at the back of Merlin's mind?

He heard the resounding click of the lock and watched through thoughtful eyes as Gwaine swung the door open, the wrought iron squealing loudly in protest.

"There we go!"

Merlin felt a hand on his back and glanced at Gaius on his left.

"Come on Merlin."

The young warlock nodded before following Gwaine through the narrow door.  
Gaius followed him, and Gwaine closed the door behind him, locking it again.

Merlin glanced around, thrown off by the twilight that encompassed everything. He let his magic rise to the surface, ready to create a glowing ball of light when he felt Gaius' hand once more on his back, making him pause and glance at his mentor.

"You shouldn't use your magic down here Merlin," his voice was warning. "You don't know how these artifacts will react."

Merlin's eyebrows rose as he realized the wisdom in Gaius words, and he nodded in agreement just as a torch on his right sparkled with sudden light. Gwaine pulled the torch out of its holder and Merlin was nearly hypnotized by the way the light danced across the now orange walls.

"This way," Gwaine instructed.

Merlin's eyes gave away some of his confusion and he jogged towards the uncharacteristically serious knight. "How would you know?"

Gwaine threw him a look as he led the threesome deeper into the Vaults. It was one between slight fondness, deep solemnity, and undecided amusement –if that combination was possible and a small –maybe forced- grin twitched at Gwaine's lips as he answered: "It was Arthur and I that discovered you were missing in the first place Merlin."

"What?"

"After the initial earthquake, Gaius," Gwaine gestured to the physician who walked behind them, "guessed it was you. Arthur met me in the courtyard on his way down and I followed. We started at the place Arthur had last seen you and he tracked you to that room."

"Oh," was Merlin's only reply to the knight's sober explanation. Then a thought hit him, "But if you knew where the room was, why didn't you investigate before?" Twelve years is plenty of time, and wouldn't they have wanted to know why he'd disappeared in the first place?

This time, Gwaine stumbled to a stop and turned to Merlin with a combined seriousness and sadness that Merlin thought should never be on his friends face. The glowing torchlight made the knight, who had been untouched by Time's lithe fingers, accented the melancholy that lit the knight's cynical brown eyes. Gaius, sensing that they needed a moment alone, hung back a little, pretending to be interested in something on one of the numerous shelves.

Merlin felt the confusion on his face as he waited for Gwaine to speak. What was it that made the knights mood change so abruptly? Was it something he said?

"We tried," Gwaine started slowly, "at the very beginning, but none of us could stand being in there where you… It just felt so, _wrong_ being in there, like we were intruding on something sacred. I mean… Merlin, we thought…"

Merlin could hear the unshed tears in Gwaine's voice and felt sick again. The knight took a short breath.

"Merlin… we thought you had _died_ there. When Arthur and I went there, there was nothing to be found except your stupid cloak. There was no body, no trace, no _nothing_. We didn't know how… We couldn't, _I_ couldn't –"

The young warlock was astounded to say the least. He didn't think Gwaine had ever been this open with him. A few memories came to mind, but nothing like this. Even when his secret had been revealed, he hadn't gotten this kind of reaction. Merlin felt that darn _guilt_ twisting his stomach again and he laid a slender hand on his friends' shoulder.

"Gwaine," he said, his voice low and comforting. "It's alright, I understand."

Gwaine gave him a nod as a smile twitched at his lips and, knowing it couldn't hurt his friend anymore, Merlin couldn't help but tack on with an impish grin, "Besides, I'm obviously not dead, trust me, I'll annoy _Arthur_ to death before I go."

His friends own smile widened and he guffawed, his happy laughter echoing through the hallway before he, still chuckling, drew Merlin into a hug. "Thank you, my friend."

Merlin nodded and saw Gaius, with a wide smile on his own face, coming up to them out of the corner of his eye. Gwaine took the lead again, Merlin and Gaius following behind as the knight announced, "Alright, we need a better name for it, we can't just keep calling it 'the room.'"

"What did you have in mind Gwaine?" Gaius asked.

"How about 'time room?'"

Merlin snorted. "How is that any better than 'the room?"

"I don't see _you_ offering up any ideas."

In response, Merlin rolled his beryl blue eyes. The powerful magic he'd sensed earlier grew stronger and he instinctively looked around. He saw the shelf of stuff he'd been looking at before he'd left, and diagonal to that, the cloth covered podium the held the Crystal of Neatid. He saw its bulky form beneath the cloth and turned away, visions playing across his vision. Gaius gave him a cautious look that Merlin caught, and nodding, he jogged until he was ahead of Gwaine. Remembering Gaius' words, he grabbed a torch off the wall and lit it with Gwaine's own. They finally reached the pulled-out-shelf, and entered the dusty circular room.

"Still as dirty as ever," Gwaine commented dryly.

Gaius smirked and cleared his throat. "Look for anything that might give us a hint about anything."

Merlin pursed his lips and looked around, for the first time really taking in the room. He walked along the walls, waving his torchlight in front of him. There were several shelves that traced the curving wall and several things that graced those shelves, including chipped pots, half-filled bowls of… _things_, which smelled very much like aged herbs. There was a mortar and pestle and on another dusty shelf and beside it a glass jar. Merlin looked at it oddly before opening a cabinet door beneath the shelf. Inside, he found a collection of scrolls.

"Gaius?"

The physician looked up from where he'd been examining the runes on the floor.

"Over here."

Cautiously, Merlin took one of the scrolls of the shelf and examined it in the flickering torchlight.

Gwaine came over behind him. "What is it?"

"A scroll… Maybe a clue?"

Gaius looked at it as well, and after taking it from Merlin, looked at the dark red seal that was placed on the curved flap. Furrowing his thick eyebrows, he squinted his eyes and took out his magnifying glass to try to make out the half-ruined label.

"Can you make it out?" Merlin asked, angling the torch to provide the most light for him, Gwaine doing the same with his own torch.

Gaius glanced at Merlin's curious face before looking back at the wax seal. From what he could make out, there was a bird that was surrounded by a bold ring that was followed by another thin line. But it was the bird that caught Gaius' grey eyes. It had a long, slender beak, an angled, swooping head, and a small, beady eye.

"It seems like this room… and its contents," Gaius, eyebrows quirked, looked between Gwaine and Merlin's inquiring and hopeful faces, and, sighing unsurprisingly at his knowing realization, he ended, "were used by Cornelius Sigan."

* * *

A little more development; I hope you liked it! I can't think of anything to say, so I'll just say please don't forget to review!


	9. Keeping Secrets

Heyo! Just a quick note to ask how many of you have seen the new episode of Merlin... cause I haven't and its killing me! :( But I do get to see it this afternoon! :) On another note, I'm going to second-guess myself to death in regards to the quotes, so I hope this matches well enough.

Disclaimer: IDOM

Enjoy!

* * *

_One small crack does not mean that you are broken; it means you were put to the test and you didn't fall apart._

_-Linda Poindexter_

* * *

Arthur swung his sword and relished the _woosh_ing noise it made as it swept through the air, clashing loudly against Leon's own. Leon smirked and took half a step back, bringing his sword high once again before swinging it right, parallel to the ground. Arthur quickly brought up his sword, parrying the blow with such a force that it made a bead of sweat roll off his nose and cascade into the scuffled grass below their feet.

His own sword caught the sunlight at he lunged towards his opponent just as Leon swiveled. Arthur's sharpened blade cut the grass as it collided with the ground, making his arms ring as vibrations were sent through them. He felt a grin tug at his lips, feeling that natural high he always got when he trained.

He swung once more, and, knowing he'd found an opening, caught the tip of Leon's sword suddenly, throwing the knight off balance. Then Arthur tightened his grip on his own sword, carefully aiming it so he hooked the end of his blade right under the handle of Leon's blade. He then thrust upwards, successfully disarming Leon as his sword flew through the air and into Arthur's own leather-gloved hand.

The knight gave him a disbelieving, narrow-eyed grin before saying: "Good job, sire."

Arthur smiled. "Thank you Leon. But I should think you need to practice more."

Leon pursed his lips and rolled his grey-blue eyes. "I was going easy on you."

"Really?" Arthur's mock-cynical voice made Leon want to laugh again.

The clashing of distant swords, the other knights practicing and training, was zeroed out as Leon stepped closer to Arthur, a half-smirk lighting his ever-sincere eyes.

"Arthur, I've trained with you since you were a boy, barely able to hold a sword; I know when you need to vent, or when you need to train _yourself_, or when… something's on your mind?" The way he said it made it sound as if he was asking right then and there what was on the king's mind rather than making a point.

The younger man narrowed his eyes –_against the sun_ he told himself- and studied his friends face. Soft features were alight with genuine -though well hidden- concern, and the blue-grey of his easy-going eyes held a certain curiosity and wisdom; wanting to hear Arthur's troubles and give him a supportive shoulder. Even when they were children, Leon had had the same influence on him, the _know_ of when Arthur needed to talk to someone.

Arthur took a step back. "Let's go again."

Leon nodded, knowing that was the first step in getting Arthur to talk. Exertion made his thoughts flow, untangled the unmanageable net that the life of a king gave him, but more likely, the life of a friend.

The elder knight took up a defensive position as Arthur raised his sword. The king swung –not hard, more practicing his footwork than force of a blow- and Leon raised his blade, hearing that sharp clattering sound of steel on steel.

Arthur advanced, meaning Leon took a step back as Arthur swung again. Leon's silver chainmail reflected the sun into Arthur's eyes, lighting them with more purpose but also highlighting the cloudy mistiness that accompanied Arthur's deep thoughts.

"What news of Morgana?" Arthur asked suddenly, advancing again and making the grass twist and crunch beneath his feet.

Leon tightened the grip on the hilt of his sword as he advanced himself. "That she is drawing near; her and Mordred. They were last seen on the very outskirts of Annis' kingdom, to the north, Ismere, I believe."

Arthur swung hard, as if the news had aggravated him. "Is there news of an army?"

The knight dug the tips of his toes into the ground to accommodate for the kings hard swing. "Of sorts. Reports suggest a rag-tag army, perhaps a few hundred; though where she got them in the first place escapes me."

"And I," Arthur admitted. He swiveled his hips and brought his sword closer to the ground, hoping to catch the knight unawares at his change of aim. Leon blocked him expertly. "So, Morgana, Mordred, and a few hundred men… from Ismere?" Arthur said between breaths. "That gives us… what? Three weeks?"

Leon advanced his sword cutting through the air as a hot knife through butter as he brought it close to the younger man's bicep. Metal clanged together as Arthur hindered his attack and a _zing_ing noise pierced the air as Arthur pushed Leon's sword away from him, bringing it level to the knight's chest and challenging him to make a move.

"It all depends upon their pace, sire."

Leon quickly brought up his sword and threw Arthur's sideways, not making the king lose his grip, but pushing it away from his chainmailed, shimmering chest.

"Of course."

Leon swung again. "But with an army of that size, marching from that distance, it should take them a while to get here."

Arthur blocked and swung himself.

"And I'm certain that Queen Annis won't receive her with a warm welcome."

Arthur laughed genuinely, the sound ringing out concurrently with the ringing of their swords. "No, I imagine she wouldn't."

Sweat gathered on Arthur's brow as he twisted his body expertly, swinging his sword likewise. "She is a worthy ally."

Leon blocked his blow once more, and the two –more evenly matched than most due to their having trained together since they were young- continued like that; advance, block, parry, advance. "That she is. Do you wish to call upon that alliance on face of this threat?"

A thoughtful cloud entered Arthur's clear blue eyes and he thought a moment before shaking his head. "No. As you said, Morgana has to pass through her lands to get here; asking Annis to send men here to help us would leave her vulnerable to attack. No, she's safer with her men there; I'll not risk her kingdom to protect my own."

Leon smiled approvingly and blocked Arthur swing. "Wise," he commented. "Spoken like the true Once and Future King of Albion."

It was then that Arthur's step faltered and Leon –accidentally- made a successful hit, his sword grazing Arthur's bicep and cutting through his chainmail. Arthur gasped in surprise at the blow as the sudden mistiness faded from his eyes. Leon, now with the upmost seriousness, stepped forward.

"I'm sorry Arthur," he said, and Arthur could hear the genuine guilt in his voice. And as it was true that he'd been hit before in training –ironically, it was only his closest knights that only ever landed a blow- Arthur knew that they, namely Leon in this case, didn't feel guilty because they had hurt their king, but because they had hurt their _friend._

Arthur gave him a half-smirk and answered honestly. "It's fine Leon, it was my fault… I was distracted."

Leon pursed his lips and gave him a side-long look before giving in and gripping Arthur's bicep to inspect the damage. It was a clean cut, thankfully, but blood was beginning to ooze out of the wound. "You should get that looked at."

Arthur looked at it for a moment before shaking his head. "No, not now. Let's go again."

The elder man narrowed his eyes and peered into his friend's expressionless face. Though try as he might, Arthur couldn't hid the anxiety that a flash in his eyes gave away. And Leon, lingering concern showing in his own calm-mannered eyes, shook his head.

"Not right now. Let's take a break, get some water."

Arthur's dazzling blue eyes hardened ever-so-slightly, though not because he was being denied his request, but rather because he felt like he was being denied that_ out_ he found in training. And while pummeling a dummy was good for releasing emotions –and was always preferred when he _really_ needed to work out his frustration- it was nothing like facing an actual person, who could indeed fight back and match Arthur's skill.

But there was something else in Leon's eyes -an offering- another way out of this stressful cloud his mind had been molded into as of late. He knew that look; it was one that said that he didn't want to fight Arthur to have to get him to _talk_ to him, even though he knew that worked. Because they both knew that if they continued to fight and talk about what was truly bothering Arthur, his mind would slip once more and he could be more seriously injured. So Arthur, letting out a puff of understanding air, followed the older knight as he walked towards the bench.

The healthy crunch of grass accompanied their step and Arthur resisted the urge to wipe the sweat from his brow. He'd learned not to do that long ago, when he was a boy, and after rubbing his face so often he got a rash that hadn't left for days. So instead, when they got to the wooden bench, Arthur stuck the tip of his sword into the ground and ripped off his glove before running his hand across his forehead before doing the same with a towel Leon threw him.

It was then that he picked up a lone wooden cup and dunked it into the cool half-full barrel of water the keepers of the training grounds always provided for them. He hungrily gulped at the water before the cup ran dry. Arthur wiped his newly-shaven mouth of water droplets that lingered as Leon did the same. He dipped his cup in once more before taking a seat on the other side of the knight, whose grey-blue, calculating eyes never left him.

Finally they did, to stare into his own wooden cup as he swished the water in circles by angling it different ways. "So, how is Merlin doing?"

Arthur inwardly sighed, letting his blue eyes drift shut to stop the slight ache pushing against the backs of his eyes. It had begun when Leon had called him the 'Once and Future King.' Merlin was the first person who'd called him that, even before they'd known his secrets. Arthur's mind stretched back to a time, roughly thirteen or fourteen years ago and Merlin's young _–Gods, it hadn't changed!_- voice pierced through his mind as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

_"You're Arthur… you're noble; the Once and Future King."_

His mind drew him a perfect outline of every other time the young warlock had called him that, before, and after his reveal. And even every other time he'd been called the very same thing by a countless number of people. True, most of those people had been Druids at first, but then even children in the marketplace used the name passively.

And then to add to that, Guinevere, Gaius, and his knights used it to tease him endlessly.

But every time he heard his title, a word on the mouth of a child, a name whispered softly on the breeze, a thought said aloud by a nameless citizen, his mind was pulled back towards a certain time; a time when magic, even secretly, permeated the air and an impish, lopsided, _happy_ grin graced the face of a raven-haired manservant who met all his own retorts and insults with a witty and clever comeback; all his problems with wise and sound advice; and all his loneliness with friendship.

He thought it would always be that way, that through his deep connection to Merlin, both through their brotherhood and their shared destiny, his mind would and always would be unavoidably be turned towards the lanky young warlock, regardless of the fact that the young man already underlines his thoughts already, and even more when he faced problems; when he asked himself what Merlin would do to get through this, what he would say.

"He's doing as well as could be expected," he answered simply.

"Which means?"

"It means that he's under a _heck_ of a lot of stress, is _almost_ successfully hiding it from everyone, as he usually does, _and _is trying to find out how this happened in the first place and _maybe _how to find a way back home!" Arthur retorted.

Arthur saw the flash of hurt in Leon's eyes and quickly said; "I'm sorry Leon, I-I didn't mean to snap…"

Understanding lit Leon's sky-colored eyes once more as they softened in sympathy. "It's alright, Arthur. I know you're suffering… as he is."

Arthur turned his face to inspect the perky, wavering grass at his feet. The smooth strands in beat with the indecisive wind, going one way before leisurely turning another, in complete contrast with Arthur's own feelings.

"Have you told him yet?"

He knew what the elder knight was talking about… Morgana, another person his mind kept wavering to. She was a clear and present danger that was just… _there_; as threatening as always and even madder than before. They've had several encounters in the past twelve years and each time the woman was a little more unstable, more willing to take wild risks. And it was only because of the combined efforts and wit of Gaius, Alator, Gwen, the Knights and the Druids that had kept Camelot afloat… had kept _Arthur_ afloat in their own respective rights.

"No."

Leon glanced at him briefly.

"I didn't want to put him under any more stress than he is already under," Arthur explained.

The knight nodded, understanding but reluctant.

"But is it wise to keep such information from him?"

The king rested his chainmailed elbows on his knees, burying his face in his hands for the barest of moments as he wiped his face.

"I don't know. He just… what do I tell him Leon? That, on top of missing twelve years of our lives and then not knowing _how_ or _why_ or how he could get back, he has to deal with Morgana coming for petty _revenge?"_

Leon studied his king's profile, the tenseness of his jawline, the wariness in his cerulean eyes. He watched as he ground his teeth in frustration, though not at Leon, no, Arthur was frustrated with _himself_ because he didn't know how to proceed.

"I know as much as you do, sire. But… I don't think it would be wise to keep this from him from too much longer. It concerns him just as much as it does us, maybe even more so."

Arthur nodded. "I will tell him. I just don't know when, or how."

Leon set a hand on Arthur shoulder as he picked up his sword, knowing that now that he had helped Arthur begin his own thinking process, there was nothing more he could do but try to relieve some of the tension in his shoulders.

"I have faith that you will come to the right decision, as you always do. Now come on, let's practice."

* * *

Gwaine gave him a look of disbelief. _"Cornelius Sigan?"_

Gaius tilted his head, examining the scroll again. "Well, one of his apprentices anyway."

Merlin crossed his arms over his chest, his face inquisitive with one eyebrow raised in a look of genuine curiosity. "How do you know that?"

"Look." Gaius stepped closer and tilted the scroll closer to the light, allowing both Merlin and Gwaine to see the seal in more detail. "When someone takes on an apprenticeship, even with you Merlin, you either use your master's seal until you're released from that apprenticeship, or start off with your own. The mentor would use their symbol with a single, wide band, but an apprentice would use the symbol, a wide band, _and_ a thin band. Seeing as this is Sigan's symbol –a raven- and has both the wide and thin band shows that this room was used by one of Sigan's apprentices."

Merlin's mind took this all in slowly, analyzing the information. "Well, how many apprentices did he have?"

"I don't know Merlin; I'm not _that_ old quite yet despite what some may think."

Merlin couldn't help the fond grin that pulled at his lips. "Sorry."

Gaius gave him a smile in return and glanced at a soft-eyed Gwaine.

"Well," Merlin commented, "Kilgharrah did say to look for powerful sorcerers."

Gaius' eyebrows scrunched together. "What?"

Merlin could sense Gwaine's curious brown eyes on him as well as he answered. "When I was talking to Kilgharrah last night, he said that it would have taken a considerable amount of power to travel through time."

The elderly physician nodded. "Yes, it would have indeed. I've never even heard of it before."

"And Sigan's apprentices would have been powerful?" Gwaine asked.

"Oh, very," Gaius answered. "Sigan wouldn't have taken anyone he didn't think would have very high potential."

"I see."

Merlin ran a hand over his mouth before speaking. "So where do we start then?"

Gaius glanced at the old scroll, thinking, before turning back towards his ward. "I believe we should research Sigan; perhaps we can read his old journals and find out just how many apprentices he had."

Merlin nodded, outwardly frowning in deep thought, but on the inside, grinning; they might not have gotten far yet, but this was defiantly a push in the right direction. Towards getting him _home._

"To the library?" Gwaine suggested.

"To the library."

They arrived at the library several minutes later, just as Geoffrey of Monmouth, more or less the official keeper of the library, was leaving for an errand run. Unfortunately, that didn't stop the flurry of questions that were shot at the threesome once he spotted the too-young Merlin.

Geoffrey himself was much the same as Merlin remembered –from a few days ago. The only thing different was that his beard was a little longer as opposed to the short beard he –used to- keep. But he still had that burning, good-natured curiosity that pushed him to ask every question that flashed through his mind.

After nearly ten full minutes of questioning in the corridor, Gaius gently interrupted him and explained what they were doing there. And although he couldn't tell them where exactly, if at all, Cornelius Sigan's journals were, Geoffrey wished them well and finally left to run his errands.

"I thought he'd never leave," Gwaine muttered under his breath just as Geoffrey's blue robe disappeared behind the far corner. He opened the door and Gaius, laughing himself, walked through with Gwaine and Merlin behind him.

Merlin chuckled. "Gwaine!"

Gwaine shut the thick door behind them. "What? Well, we can hardly eat anything whilst he's here, he's so afraid for his books. Plus, it's nearly noon and I'm starving."

The warlock was surprised to discover that it was, in fact, nearly that time of day and couldn't help it as his thoughts turned towards Arthur. Back in his time, and, regardless of the fact that Arthur no longer saw him in the position –and even long before he became Court Sorcerer (especially since he'd only been in the position for two weeks), he would play the role of servant and bring him his lunch, regardless of what he was doing. Well, Arthur's and his own. And if he'd forget to do it, then Arthur would grab their lunches, find him… and scold them for being late.

Merlin felt his stomach twist again in his moment of nostalgia and grabbed his head as his vision blurred and he stumbled. He felt Gwaine's hand on his arm steadying him and he took a moment to regain his bearings before opening his blue eyes.

"Merlin?" Gwaine inquired, and even as Merlin's eyes were still focusing on the knight, he could clearly see the concern.

Gaius was there too; hand on his right wrist and taking his pulse.

"I'm fine, just… a bit dizzy."

The physician furrowed his brow and looked at his ward intently. "Are you sure? There's nothing else?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

Gaius exchanged a look with Gwaine and the knight carefully let go of Merlin's arm. "Lunch might be a good idea," Gaius suggested, "It might help your dizziness Merlin. Gwaine, could you fetch us some food?"

The knight grinned and walked backwards towards the door. "It would be my pleasure." He turned, opened the door, and said, "Be back soon," before closing the door behind him and leaving Gaius and Merlin alone.

It was then that Gaius turned to him, his grey eyes matching his age as he looked at Merlin again. "Merlin, are you sure there's nothing else? Something you're not telling me?"

Merlin's own deep blue eyes softened at the unveiled trepidation in his guardian's voice. "No, Gaius… I don't know. It's all this time travel stuff, I think."

"How do you feel?"

Merlin shook his raven-colored head. "Just, dizzy at times. Lightheaded. And sick."

"When did you start feeling this way?"

"I'm not sure."

"But it was definitely _after_ you'd arrived here."

Merlin nodded and Gaius let out a resigned breath. "What is it Gaius?"

Gaius's blue-grey eyes wandered about the room before settling on the warlock. "I'm afraid Merlin that whatever illness you might have is connected with your traveling through time."

Merlin eyebrows furrowed. "So what can we do about it?"

"Just hope that there's an answer in Sigan's journals. If one of his apprentices did indeed travel in time, then perhaps he had the same illness."

Merlin pursed his lips and nodded. "So where do we start?"

Gaius breathed a sigh and let his eye roam the hallway they were in. It was lined with bookshelves and even more books, the ones nearest the top covered in a thick layer of dust and cobwebs.

"I'm not sure. His journals could be anywhere."

Merlin groaned and Gaius couldn't help but smirk happily at the long-suffering noise. It was one of Merlin's endearing quirks and it had been hard to get used to not hearing it when Merlin had gone missing.

"Wonderful."

"Yes, well, why don't we start with where some of the other sorcerer's kept their own journals?"

"Is there a section for that?"

"More or less. Ironically, Uther kept books and journals of magic during the Purge, collected them even, and stored them away in a section of the library. It was locked, of course, until magic returned to the realm and Arthur unlocked it."

Merlin nodded, but the mention of his friend had his stomach clenching again, though this time for different reasons. "Sounds good." Gaius turned to walk away but Merlin jumped beside him which caused him to pause. "Gaius, don't tell Arthur, alright? About my… sickness or whatever I have. I don't want to worry him more."

Gaius sighed, considering just that. It was true that their king did have a lot to worry about, between these recent events, running a kingdom, and then the newest, ever-present threat of Morgana hanging over their heads; the latter threat not even being known to Merlin just yet. He felt a small pang of guilt in his stomach and wondered if they could afford to keep this most recent development from Arthur. But shouldn't he be asking himself the same question in regards to Merlin knowing about Morgana?

Merlin saw the conflict on his face and added. "At least until we know more."

The elderly physician closed his eyes and finally nodded, feeling an achingly familiar sense of déjà vu. Wasn't this exactly how it was when they'd kept Merlin's magic a secret? And would it help or hinder them in their journey?

"We need to learn how to fix this. I don't know how bad it could get."

The man nodded, his face a mixture of gratitude and urgency. "I understand. Thank you."

Gaius gave him a weak smile. "Don't let me regret this Merlin; you must tell him yourself. And soon before you get any worse."

Merlin paused a moment before answering. "I will."

"Good. Then let's get started."

It only took a few more minutes for Gaius to lead them to the now-opened section of the library which housed the majority of magic related books apparently. The room was kept in the back of the library and behind large, oak doors. Gaius pushed the doors open and Merlin was stopped in his tracks and instinctively took a deep breath in at the wave of magic that assaulted his senses and made him feel a light-headedness that had nothing to do with his unofficial illness.

"Merlin? Are you alright?" Gaius asked. "Is it the sickness?"

Merlin blinked and took another breath to steady himself at the unfamiliar presence. "No, it's alright. It's just the magic."

Gaius' eyebrows furrowed before his face flooded with understanding and he chuckled. "Oh, yes. I must be used to it by now."

The physician walked into the room and Merlin followed, his eyes wandering about the chamber with unveiled astonishment lighting his eyes and nourishing his idiotic smile. The room itself was large, about the size of the council chambers and lighted by sizable window that poked out from between massive wooden bookshelves, giving the room a warm, golden glow.

Said bookshelves, which lined all walls, were overflowing with books, as was the long table that stood in the middle of the chamber and the books that were even stacked up in nearly every other empty space on the floor. The books themselves were of all different sizes and volumes, some as small as Merlin's lithe palm while others were ten times as large, and ten times in weight as well.

But perhaps the most astonishing thing about the room was the sense of the magic that oozed out of every page of every book; magic that filled the oak in the bookshelves and the table; the magic that was infused with the very air as if it demanded attention like a small child and yet demanded respect like an wizened old man. It left Merlin feeling like a giddy, young child again.

"How is it that I've never found this room before?" he breathed. "I mean I _happen_ to stumble on every other room and hidden passage in Camelot, but not _this_ room?"

Gaius laughed. "It's beyond me."

Merlin picked up one of the books on the table and read the cover: '_The Basics and Properties of Magical Plants and Herbs.' _He flicked through the book and coughed at the amount of dust that flew through the air. But inside the volume were myriads of chapters on seemingly everything one might need to know about the titles' subject, complimented by colorful drawings and illustrations of various plants and environments where they might be found.

"And how is it that you've never shown me this room?"

Gaius picked up a thick volume himself and flickered through it. "It was too dangerous whilst Uther was alive, and even while Arthur was king. Then after your magic was revealed, Arthur and I were going to present this room to you once your tower was finished."

Merlin grinned broadly. "Really?"

"Really."

"Whatever happened to my tower once I… um…?"

Gaius blinked, showing his understanding at what the young man was trying to say and felt a pang of sadness himself. "It was never finished."

"And my room? Why aren't I sleeping there instead of in the guests chambers?"

The physician laughed as he set down the book he held. "It's more or less become my stock room once more."

Merlin chuckled but couldn't help but feel a pang of homesickness regardless of the fact that he was home. He was _in_ Camelot, just not at the right _time_. It was all very confusing and made Merlin's head hurt thinking it out.

Gwaine arrived a few moments later, a tray stacked with food in either hand. Merlin and Gaius tried to clear a spot on the table for the trays and Gwaine was more than happy to start digging in right then and there.

"Bring enough food?" Merlin asked.

Gwaine grinned as he chewed through a slice of chicken. "I told you I was hungry. And besides that, I think I deserve a treat considering the chore it took getting it here –I almost ran into Geoffrey a handful of times."

"From here to the kitchens and back?"

"No. I stopped by to check in on the kids."

Gaius nodded approvingly. "What're they doing?"

"They're with their tutors."

Merlin intervened with a quirked eyebrow. "And you were trying to avoid Geoffrey the entire time?"

"Well, obviously, it's no fun otherwise."

Merlin laughed and his eyes crinkled as he took a drink out of the goblet Gwaine provided. "Naturally."

After they'd eaten, the research began. Merlin chose a comfortable spot on the floor, Gwaine chose on the two chairs at the table whist Gaius took the other. And they read… and read, all afternoon and well into the evening.

Reading for content was probably the most difficult problem because even though they tried to only skim and look for key words such as 'time travel,' or 'Cornelius Sigan,' or even just trying to go by cover titles, they couldn't help but be drawn into the books and other journals as they're minds played out other magician's journeys and findings.

They'd had candles lit long before Gaius announced he was going to bed, and, on a spur of the moment decision, Gwaine said the same whilst Merlin suggested he bring some books to Gaius chambers to read. Gaius accepted and they left the quiet of the dim library and parted ways, Merlin carrying a stack of books.

And it was an hour after that, a few hours until midnight, in which Merlin was in Gaius' chambers reading by scarce candlelight when there was a light rap on the door. Merlin, taking in a large breath as his eyes refocused from the book he'd been reading, put a fist to his mouth to smother the yawn and looked at Gaius' sleeping form before rising and walking towards the thin door. He opened it as he smothered another yawn and was surprised to find Arthur standing on the other side of the door. Arthur himself looked surprised to find that it was Merlin who had answered the door instead of Gaius.

"Merlin?"

"Arthur."

A look between feigned annoyance and genuine fondness passed through Arthur's ocean-blue eyes. "Where's Gaius?"

"What? Oh, he's sleeping," Merlin whispered. "Is there something I can help you with?"

Arthur pursed his lips. "Just something I got during practice."

Merlin's eyes instantly turned from lighthearted tiredness to alert seriousness. "What happened? Is it serious?"

But before Arthur could even answer, Merlin was pulling him inside the physician's chambers and sitting him down on one of Gaius' benches. "It's nothing Merlin, I can come back tomorrow." He didn't say out loud that he didn't want to, and that he'd rather stay, and that he was touched by the genuine concern in his young friend's voice. It was one of the things he'd missed about him.

Merlin rolled his eyes. "I am a physician, you know."

"More or less."

Merlin chuckled, but agreed. "More or less. Where's the injury?"

"Just on my arm." Arthur rolled up his blue sleeve with a wince, grateful that he'd shed his layer of chainmail before coming.

Merlin brought over a few more candles and examined the wound. "Well, it's a clean cut I'm pleased to say."

"Well I can see _that_ Merlin. I'm not a complete idiot."

Merlin turned away grinning, and grabbed something off the shelf, as well as a cloth and a water pitcher. "Nope, just a prat. And a royal one."

Arthur could only just hold back a guffaw at their familiar exchange as Gaius' light snoring reached his ears, so he smothered a laugh just as Merlin turned back to him, doing the same. Merlin dunked the cloth in the pitcher and wrung it out before gently cleaning the cut on Arthur's muscled bicep, causing him to hiss and wince momentarily.

"When'd you get this?" Merlin asked as he rubbed some kind of greenish balm over the wound.

"This afternoon."

"And you're only just coming for this now?"

Arthur nodded. "Yep."

Merlin rolled his eyes, but chuckled lightly. "How'd you survive without me for twelve years?"

This time, when Arthur visibly flinched and his eyes drained of mirth, Merlin knew it had nothing to with the new physical wound and everything to do with the fact that he'd just doused salt in an old emotional scar. The warlock felt guilt like a punch to his gut and it showed in his eyes as he apologized. "I'm sorry Arthur."

His friend ducked his head as he tried to cover the hurt in his eyes and shook his head. "No, it's fine."

Merlin grabbed the gauze he'd brought and wrapped it around Arthur's arm, still feeling guilty through the slightly tense silence. He tucked the last bit into the end and stepped back. "Done. It should be healed by tomorrow, but it might be a bit sore or a few days."

Arthur nodded just as Merlin turned back towards his books. He stood and walked towards the door. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Merlin nodded. "Goodnight."

Arthur walked a few more steps before turning back on his heel in remembrance of the conversations he'd had with Gwen and Leon. "Merlin?"

The warlock loyally looked up from the book he'd returned to and raised his eyebrows, cueing his friend to continue.

"We're going hunting tomorrow."

"And by '_we'_ you mean…"

"You and I."

Merlin cupped his face with one of his hands and leaned into it, groaning. "Do I have a choice?"

Arthur smiled, the weight on his chest from their earlier exchange lessening. "No. Get some rest Merlin."

"Prat."

"Idiot."

* * *

Alrighty then! I hope you guy's liked it; got a little more story development and bromance and other neat stuff :) I think you should be expecting bromance in the next chapter between our two favorites :D Oh, just a quick note that I forgot to put in the other chapter; yes, I know that Aithusa is officially a girl now, but for What Happen's sake, I'm going to keep him male.

Anywho, please review; I always look forward to reading them! :D Oh, one last thing, if there's something you guy's want me to develop further (like why someone's acting how they are or something about the storyline), or something you're confused about that you'd like me to work through, or just something you want to see, please include that in the review and I'll try to work with it. As I said, I'm not working with a set storyline (if any) so there's plenty of flexibility regarding chapters and it's always nice to receive suggestions! Thanks! :)


	10. Dreams and Daughters

Hey guy's! Sorry for how late I'm posting this; got caught up with a new project I'm doing (and feeling guilty for not working on my homework instead)- _but_ I got it done! :) Unfortunately, I didn't get the hunting trip in this chapter, but nevertheless, I hope your pleased with it. Also, quick note; I was _very_ happy with 'The Kindess of Strangers.' I don't want to give _too_ much away because there was some major development towards the finale and Merlin's destiny and -No, wait... *breathes* If I start talking about it, I'll go into fangirl mode and then I _will_ end up giving stuff away... Just... keep this in mind...; Kilgharrah, Camlann, Morgana declaring war. That's all I'm saying! :D

Disclaimer: IDOM

Enjoy!

* * *

"_Non nobis solum nati sumus. (Not for ourselves alone are we born.)"_

― Marcus Tullius Cicero

* * *

That night, Merlin dreamed again.

After Arthur had left, Merlin had read for a few more minutes but found that his mind just wasn't in it anymore, it could have been his exhaustion catching up with him from not sleeping soundly the night before, or it could have been because of the conversation he's had with Arthur before he'd left.

So he'd straightened up his area and had blown out the candles, save one next to Gaius' bedside. He walked towards the door again, with a few books in hand, but paused and turned back towards the elderly physician. A smirk of fondness tugged at his full lips, then, his eyes flashed a molten gold and slowly the wool blankets crawled up to completely cover Gaius. It was the least he could do after all.

He turned back towards the wooden door, spying the herbs that Gaius tied to the upper support to dry out. As he reached the door, the distinct smell of marigold, rue, and mint leaves reached his nostrils. His lithe hand hesitated at the handle as he drunk in the scents, eyes closed and thankful for at least one sense of semblance.

The young warlock finally pulled on the door handle, repositioning the books he held underneath his arm. Stepping out into the hallway, he caught the distinct smell of burning ash from the torch across the hallway as the tangerine flame flickered in the tell-tale breeze in the corridor.

His thoughts, evidently inevitably, turned towards the subject they'd spent all afternoon researching: time travel, Cornelius Sigan, or any of his apprentices.

And they'd found nothing. Out of all the books they managed to get through –if they could skim- neither Gwaine, Gaius, or himself had found anything useful about how this had all happened. But he had learned a few more spells; simple things like a quick healing spell amongst a few other ones that he supposed could come in handy.

He buried his face in the crook of his arm just as a yawn escaped his quickly widening mouth and turned the corner, mesmerized by another flickering torchlight.

Merlin had spoken with Gaius about continuing their research the next day and the physician had readily agreed –if only to find out if this sickness Merlin had was serious.

A set of footsteps broke him from his thoughts and just as he blinked, Gwaine's long stride met his as the corridor broke off into two hallways.

The knight smiled and took his hand off the pommel of his sword. Obviously, he hadn't expected anyone to be out this late. "Merlin!"

Merlin grinned. "Gwaine."

"How've you been?"

Merlin swore he could see a glint of foreknowledge in Gwaine's eyes as he answered; "Fine. And yourself?"

"Same. It seems like patrol never ends though."

The warlock chuckled tiredly which ended up being just another yawn.

Gwaine eyes his younger companion with a wary eye. "Tired?"

"You could say that. I thought you went to bed hours ago?"

"Did."

"So why –"

"-am I on patrol at this god forsaken hour of the night?"

Merlin smiled again and nodded, raven colored hair reflecting the orange torchlight.

"Favor to Percival; he was on patrol earlier and said he felt like he dead when he got back."

The younger man laughed again. "I know the feeling."

Gwaine let out a bark of laughter, taking in Merlin's appearance once more: the wariness in his cerulean eyes, the barely noticeable dark circles surrounding them against his pale face, and the lines of fatigue that lined his lower eyelid, making him look older than Gwaine remembered.

The knight clapped Merlin on the shoulder. "Get to bed Merlin, your dead on your feet."

"Sound advice, my friend. Arthur wants to go on a hunting trip in the morning on top of that."

Gwaine's eyebrows scrunched and his mouth turned into an amused smirk. "I hadn't heard of that."

Merlin ran a hand through his coal colored hair. "I honestly think he just made the decision on the spot, not thirty minutes ago."

"Sound like him. Who's all going?"

"Just me and him apparently."

Gwaine found back a proud grin, though not for Merlin as much as for his gallant king. He knew from Leon about the conversation he'd had with Arthur earlier that afternoon and what Arthur had told him. It seemed as if Arthur was standing by his word; he was going to talk to Merlin. About which subject was the question.

"Did he say anything else?"

Merlin pursed his lips. "Come one, this is _Arthur_ we're talking about; he doesn't tell me anything."

Gwaine laughed. "Right. Well, I better get back to work. Listen," he said when Merlin balled his hand into a fist as another yawn erupted from his throat, "you'd better get some sleep or else you'll be half dead in the morning."

Merlin nodded. "Alright then." Merlin shuffled his books in his arms. "Night."

Gwaine clapped Merlin's shoulder once more and brushed past him. "Night."

The warlock smiled and continued on his way. The remaining walk to his chambers seemed to take too long for his liking but when he finally arrived, he was dragging his feet as he opened the heavy wooden door. He set the too-heavy books on the table that stood in front of the quiet hearth and lit a candle, barely taking the time to change into night clothes before settling down in his overly large bed and blowing out the candle.

He was asleep almost immediately…

_Merlin tied his gray neckerchief around his neck, tying it in a not before adjusting it. Afterwards, he stole a glance at Arthur, who, since he sat down hadn't said anything. _

_ "Arthur," he started, looking at the ground. His knees were spread apart and his elbows rested on his dirty brown breeches, his hands folded together nervously between his knees. He had every reason to be nervous; he'd know what Gwaine was doing the first moment he'd spoken up. "I'm sorry."_

_ After a few moments Arthur answered, "For what?" _

_Merlin knew that voice; he'd heard it before when Arthur had been disciplining his knights. It was his I-know-what-you-did-wrong-but-I-want-you-to-tell-me voice. He thought it fit; if they were going to work this out, they had to have everything out on the table._

_ "For everything." Merlin said guiltily. "For not telling you, for lying to you, deceiving you." _

Merlin shifted uneasily in his sleep, his blankets being flattened between his slender hands as he tightened them against his too-warm body. The warlock's chest pulsated with his quickened breathing. He mumbled in his sleep. "Arth…"

_Merlin closed his eyes against the sorrow growing inside him. His heart was rising in his throat and he swallowed against the lump. He knew Arthur was right; he had lost faith. He'd always thought that his secret would be revealed, but he hadn't __accepted__ it. Instead, he'd put faith in the thought that Arthur would __never __find out his secret, he'd told Lancelot as much when they were hiding from the Dorocha. Perhaps… perhaps he'd gone so far as to believe that Arthur would kill him had he found out._

_ "But I understand."_

_ Merlin head snapped up, his blue eyes flying open. And only then did he see Arthur's expression, if only from the side of his face. He looked tired, and he looked sad, and he looked resigned, and he looked _sympathetic_. "W-what?" _

_ "I understand why you did what you did; the lies, the deceit. All those times I denounced and cursed magic and anyone who used it; ...I pushed you away Merlin, and I hadn't even noticed. I can't even imagine how much that hurt __you__, how scared you must have been for your life._ I_ forced you to lie. _I _forced you to do all of those things on your own, to go _through _all of that alone, so I can understand why you didn't tell me. And...So I forgive you." _

Later, he would realize that these were memories. A pit of anxiousness grew in his stomach. "Arthur…"

"_My name's Merlin."_

"_So I don't know you?"_

"_No –"_

"_And yet you called me 'friend?'_

"_Yes, that was my mistake."_

Merlin' fingers twitched and his arm passed over his head as his memories played on.

"_Well, my family's there...and I don't just mean Gaius. You, Gwen, the Knights, you guys are my family. I wouldn't have left forever."_

_Merlin knew that Arthur understood as his sky-blue eyes softened with compassion and then felt the shock of surprise as Arthur's arms came around him and wrapped him in a hug. _

_Arthur understood; he'd accepted Merlin, and so he felt a rush of relief and a feeling of brotherly affection and hugged Arthur back. _

_It was one of the rare moments of mutual understanding between the two opposites; brute force and patient understanding; physical strength to magical strength; a king to a peasant; and so when both pulled away and swiped quickly at their eyes, neither said anything. _

_They'd both needed that for so many reasons._

The image changed to another memory.

_"I'm proving that you're their leader and their King," Merlin said determinedly as a small smirk pulled subtly at his full lips. His heart leapt with giddy excitement._

_Arthur's mouth parted. "That sword is stuck fast in solid stone!"_

_"And you're going to pull it out."_

_It was what he'd placed it in the stone for in the first place; so that when the time came, Arthur could claim his rightful sword. _

_Well, now was the time._

_"Merlin, it's impossible." _

_ Merlin could see the uncertainty, the self-doubt and insecurity in Arthur's anxious blue eyes._

_Merlin imagined his own eyes almost exerting faith and fervency as his voice grew more serious. "Arthur, you're the true King of Camelot."_

_ Arthur glanced around. "Do you want me to look like a fool?"_

_"No, I'm going to make you see that Tristan's wrong!" he whispered passionately. "You're not just anyone. You are special. You and you alone can draw out that sword."_

Something clenched in his chest as Merlin's head buried itself in one of the pillows beneath his head. Something had changed; something was wrong. _"Arthur…"_

_Arthur decided to narrow his eyes and add, "Which we are going talk about once we get back to Camelot."_

"_Oh, great, now I'm in trouble!" Merlin said, feigning shame. "You prat!"_

_Arthur just rolled his eyes, Gaius and Gwaine laughed, and Gwen finally smiled. This was more like it. _

"_Well, at least I'm not a clotpole." Arthur shot back._

"_That's still my word." Merlin said._

"_And it still fits you perfectly." They all laughed. _This_ was how it was supposed to be, no Merlin dying, not them going to find the dragon for help, but this._

"No…"

"_Arthur!" Merlin called. _

_The courtyard was littered with bodies, the pungent stench almost unbearable in the biting coldness of the night. The flames from burning wood crackled and snapped, sending radiating waves of dark grey smoke into the air to burn the corners of Merlin's eyes and shadowed the sharp features of his face as his piercing blue eyes looked determinedly into the twilight of the disheveled courtyard. _

"_Arthur!" _

_ A battle cry rang in the air as swords clashed, akin to the jumble of Merlin's mindset. Morgana had raised an army of the dead and now her sister Morgause –because who else could it be- had sent another army to attack directly through the lower town. _

"Ar-thur… no…"

And then a rush of images came through his mind, bombarding his tired mind with such a force Merlin almost cried out as his chest throbbed.

_"You have to believe, Arthur." _

_ "Don't worry Arthur; I'll find her."_

_ "Merlin!"_

_ "Why are you doing this?" _

_ "Stop!" _

_ "You are destined to be Albion's greatest king." _

_ "You never know when you might need to kill someone." _

_ "Gwen!" _

_ "I'm telling you, Gaius has been kidnapped."_

_ "Arthur!" _

The images slowed, seemingly sluggish, and the vision deepened to a darkened grey until a blimp of light grew and expanded, showing Merlin the scene as if through a mirror. Time seemed to slow. But this time it was no longer a memory…

He kneeled on the floor of the Great Hall. Merlin only saw his own back, meaning he couldn't identify the body he was clutching tightly to his own. A sharp pang shot through his heart as his own heartbreaking sobs reached his ears.

Then he was wrenched out of his vision so suddenly and so violently that he suddenly jerked upright in bed, crying out as a bead of sweat trailed down his temple.

"Merlin!"

Someone grabbed his shoulders, but Merlin fought against them, panicked.

"Merlin, _stop,_ it's _me!"_

Finally, Merlin recognized his king's voice and his arms tensed as he stopped thrashing, instead slouching into the open arms and wondering what Arthur was doing in his chambers. He didn't know he'd voiced his thoughts until his friend's voice, edged with concern and humor, answered back.

"I told you; we're going hunting, remember?"

Merlin leaned back and put his slender hand against his forehead, nodding.

"Are you alright?"

The warlock felt a stir of nausea in his stomach and a short wave of dizziness and fought to keep his mind out of his dreams. "Yes, yes. I'm fine."

Arthur frowned. "Liar," then smirked, "Come on, get dressed."

Merlin rubbed his eyes, climbing out of bed. "What time is it?"

The king stepped away from the bed and sat down in one of the chairs at Merlin's table as the man gathered some clothes and went behind the changing screen. "An hour before dawn."

Merlin peeled off his white nightshirt and shivered as the cold air tickled his black-haired chest. He quickly slipped one of the tunics that Guinevere had had made special; fabric much too sumptuous for an everyday peasant, but not too showy to match that of royalty. He put on a pair of fresh breeches and came out from behind the changing screen. "Wonderful."

Arthur grinned and crossed his arms over the back of the chair, resting his chin on the fulcrum of his arms. "I thought we should leave early."

_"This_ early?" The warlock sat on the foot of his bed and peeled off his socks, not daring to touch the no doubt freezing stone floor until he donned a new pair of socks. After that he slipped his boots on and tied a blue neckerchief over his red shirt.

_"Yes." _

Merlin rolled his eyes, but smiled, and threw on the deep green cloak Gwen gave him; she said she had to _find_ out where they'd put his Court Sorcerer's cloak.

Arthur scrunched his eyebrows. "A cloak?"

"I thought it'd be warmer than my jacket."

"Yes; and you're more likely to draw attention to yourself."

Merlin's stomach sunk slightly. After that initial trip to the lower town with Gwaine during his first day back, things had been a bit tense. The children still came to him without hesitancy or trepidation, but the older ones gave him a wider berth, glancing in passing and then with a look in their eyes. Merlin couldn't describe it but it put him on edge. The last thing he wanted to do was draw attention to himself.

He sighed. "I'll get my jacket."

Arthur eyes softened even without needing to know what Merlin was thinking; he already knew. As his friend unclipped the brooches at his collar bone, threw the cloak on his bed, and rifled through his wardrobe, Arthur opened his mouth to say something but he couldn't think of anything _to_ say to make Merlin feel better, so, stupidly, he closed his mouth just as Merlin turned back towards him, now wearing his fine leather jacket.

"Ready."

Arthur put on a false smile and stood. "Perfect. Come on."

Arthur led the way out the door and the pair walked silently through the corridors until they reached the courtyard. Merlin's breath smoked in the crisp air, as did Arthur's and the two horse's already ready and saddled standing by the stone statue at the foot of the steps.

"When'd you do this?"

"Merlin, don't be ridiculous. I didn't do this."

Merlin laughed genuinely. "You got a servant to do it didn't you?"

"Well I am a king."

"Clotpole."

"Idiot."

They both laughed as they mounted their steeds, both chestnut brown mares except that Merlin's had a long white star on his forehead. The warlock's forehead wrinkled as he noticed the full saddlebags. Of course he'd been expecting hunting equipment, whereas he saw two crossbows tethered to Arthur's horse and a longbow strapped to his own as well as a sword on either horse, but he hadn't expected there to be a bag full of food with them.

"How long are we staying out?" he asked.

"I figured we'd stay out all afternoon."

"But what about the research?"

Arthur nodded in understanding. "Don't worry; I left Guinevere a note to tell Gaius of our plans."

Merlin looked skeptical for a few seconds before he nodded back. Gwen could be trusted with that; in fact, she'd probably _help_ the physician. "Alright."

The king smirked. "Now that you're satisfied, can we leave?"

Merlin grinned and, without directly answering, kicked his horse lightly in the ribs and clicked his tongue. The clatters of his horse's hooves were soon joined by in by Arthur's and the sound echoed around the vacant square as they rode through the open portcullis.

* * *

Guinevere woke to her daughter gently shaking her shoulder and to a quiet, high-pitched voice in her ear.

"Mother?" Abigail hissed. "Mother?"

She could feel her daughter's hot breath in her face and slowly opened her chocolate brown eyes. "Abigail? What is it?"

The young girl smiled and held up a piece of paper. "Father left a note."

Gwen's brow scrunched and, yawing, she sat up in bed. "What?"

Abigail shoved a piece of parchment in her hand and climbed up onto the bed beside her. "Father left a note saying he was going hunting with Uncle Merlin and wouldn't be back till late."

The queen blinked and allowed her eyes to focus on her husband's neat handwriting. The note did indeed say that, minus the 'Uncle.' Guinevere nevertheless smiled at how the children had taken to calling him such.

The note also spoke of the research that Merlin, Gaius, and Gwaine had been doing the previous day and asked her to inform the Court Physician of their recent change of plans, but to still continue looking for the cause of the time travel anomaly.

Guinevere promptly groaned and flopped back down on the bed with her hands covering her face as her daughter scrunched her golden eyebrows in confusion. "What time is it?"

"Two hours after dawn."

God, why were children given so much energy? She slowly sat up once more. "Well, Gaius'll be at his rounds now. Let's have some breakfast, shall we? Where's Rowan?"

"Sarah's looking after him. He was up all night; now he's sleeping."

Guinevere's forehead crinkled. "Why wasn't I woken?"

"Sarah thought you'd want to sleep with everything happening."

"So you stayed up with her?"

Abigail tried to bite back a grin and feigned offence. "How do you know that?"

Gwen slowly crept forward, grinning openly, and grabbed her daughter's nose, shaking it softly. "Because otherwise you wouldn't know what Sarah said." After that, the queen lunged forward and tickled her daughters sides, making her squeal loudly with the noise tripling as it echoed around the room.

"Stop it! Stop it!" the young girl squealed. Abigail breathlessly pulled backwards out of her mother's reach and grabbed her stomach, doubling over with panting laughter as her mother laughed with her. "You're evil!"

That only made Guinevere laugh harder and fake-lunge at her daughter from atop the bed. Abigail flinched, laughing as she fell against a wall.

Slowly things winded down and Guinevere stood up from the bed without Abigail flinching. Her well-fitting nightgown, decorated with cinnamon brown flowers, splayed out against the cold, grey stone floor and her frizzy-from-sleep braid feel victim to gravity as it trailed down her back. She stepped over her daughter and let out a hand to help her up. Abigail, with an amusingly wary blue eye, took her mother's hand and was pulled to her feet.

"What should I wear today, my princess?" Guinevere asked, chocolate brown eyes sparkling.

Abigail jumped towards the queen's wardrobe and flung the carefully decorated doors open. "The purple one!"

"The purple one?"

"Yes!"

"Why the purple one?"

"Because you look prettiest in it!"

Guinevere laughed and couldn't help but mentally correct her daughter's grammar.

Abigail pulled the mauve colored dress off the hanger and bundled it in her arms. She shoved it into her mother's hands and then went behind her and pushed on her lower back towards the dressing screen. Gwen giggled and went willingly behind the stand.

She quickly changed and then came out from behind the screen and sat at the table with Abigail just as her daughter passed her a plate full of food.

"Who delivered this then?" Guinevere asked.

Abigail plopped a blueberry into her mouth and swallowed. "Me... but Leon helped."

Gwen smirked; recently, her daughter had tried to do more things by herself, including bring her parents breakfast in the morning… but she never made it all the way back to the royal chambers without an escort.

"Well that was kind of him," she commented, taking a bit out of a grape tomato.

"I could have done it myself."

The queen nodded, knowing that while she wanted to reassure her daughter, she couldn't let her believe that she could do _everything_ on her own. "Of that, I've no doubt, but it's never a bad thing to accept help."

"I know," the young girl said. Then; "What do you think father and Merlin are doing now?"

Guinevere smiled and took a drink from her goblet of water. "Hunting, I imagine."

In truth, she knew that they'd be doing much more than that and she smiled at her husband's thoughtfulness. He told her he'd talk to Merlin about the crystal and what better way to get him to talk then take him out of the city?

"Do you think they'll bring anything back for dinner?"

"Possibly."

Abigail smiled and leaned forward with her elbows on the table. "I want to get out of Camelot. Mother, can we ride later?"

The queen shook her head even though she wouldn't mind going for a ride herself. "Not today my dear, I have to help Gaius."

"With what?"

Gwen ate another tomato but felt a small pinch in her stomach as she explained. "We're trying to find out how to get Merlin back to his own time."

"His own time? What?"

Guinevere sighed. "Well, you know how father and I have told you stories of Uncle Merlin?"

Abigail nodded and grinned widely as she gestured with her hands. "Wonderful stories about battles and griffins and witches and tavern fights –No, wait that was Uncle Gwaine…"

The queen laughed loudly and nearly choked on her water. "Abigail!"

The princess smiled and leaned even further over the table, her hair almost touching her half-eaten plate of food. "What?"

The patient mother only shook her head and continued. "You remember the story we told you of how Merlin went missing, correct?"

The girl nodded.

"Well, somehow, Merlin traveled in time and arrived here. We're trying to find a way to send him back to the past."

Instantly, concern and bewilderment creased her brow as she frowned. "But why would he want to go back? He's with us now."

Guinevere herself frowned and placed her hand over her daughters. "It's not that simple, my love. There's something wrong with his being here that complicates things. It's something to do with Merlin's magic…"

And the sickness she's seen in his eyes.

"What's wrong with his magic?"

Gwen bit her lip. "I think… I think it's _sick_."

"His _magic_? _Can_ magic be sick?"

"I guess so."

"But what's making it sick?"

The queen shook her head. "That's what we're meant to find out; if we can find out how to send him back, he might get well again."

Abigail's golden eyebrows scrunched. "Can't Gaius cure him?"

Gwen shook her head. She was sure that if Merlin had told anyone about his sickness, it would have been his guardian – twelve years older or not – and if nothing positive had happened yet… "It doesn't seem so."

"Oh," was all her daughter said to that. And then; "Maybe Gavin and I could help?"

Guinevere smiled softly at her daughters offer. "I don't see why not."

* * *

Yay; we're pulling in the kids! :D I felt like I'd been neglecting them a little considering the reviews I got about how much your guy's liked them. Plus, since their the main characters kids, I felt like I needed to bring them in again. :D

Reviews? And please tell me what you specifically liked and if you have any questions about something! :)


	11. Truths

Disclaimer: IDOM

Okay, super sorry this took too long. I could give you a thousand excuses, but I think 5x13 would be the most plausible one. After all _that,_ I seriously found it difficult to write bromance scenes, with the exception of fix-it stories. Seriously, that episode scatted my feels so much, that after three weeks I still can't watch a Merlin episode yet. *wails* So, sorry again! If you've seen it, you know what I'm talking about, and if you haven't... you just have to see it to know... ;) _They had better make the movies!_

*coughs* Sorry, I get a bit crazy with my fandoms. :D

Enjoy! Sorry if there're any mistakes! I literally just finished this. :)

* * *

_At times our light goes out and is rekindled by a spark by another person. Each one of us has cause to think deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us._

_Because I have a brother, I will always have a friend._

* * *

After they'd finished breakfast, Guinevere followed her daughter – who'd insisted on leading – down the long, sun licked corridors. Soft sunlight came in through the open windows and the queen slowed her step to take a deep breath of the fresh air that filled the corridor. She closed her eyes and exhaled, feeling more refreshed and suddenly felt a tug on her hand.

"Come on Mother!" Abigail wined, sounding every bit like a petulant child as her golden curls flashed in ample sunlight and making her natural highlights glow abundantly. "We have to get Gavin!"

Gwen let out a breath of laughter and smiled happily at a passing servant, whom of which, glanced happily between the queen and her daughter.

"They're a handful at that age, aren't they?"

The queen nodded, not at all surprised that the servant spoke without being spoken to. It was well-known that she had once been a humble servant herself and the people had no qualms in speaking with her about anything. "They sure are," she answered, one-half amused exasperation and one-half pleasant fondness.

The maidservant giggled and went on her way, adjusting the sheets she carried in her arms. Gwen turned back to her daughter as she pulled on her hand again. "This way!"

"Abigail," she said, snatching her hand back with a teasing smirk. "I know where the knight's quarters are."

The young girl only spared her a glance, her lips pursed even as a wide grin pulled on them. Then she abruptly turned another corner and skipped down that one as the hem of her dress bounced with every step.

"Abby!" She hissed humorously, "slow down!"

Abigail only giggled and knocked on a door at her left. "Gavin! It's Abigail!"

A crackly voice answered, "Come in!"

The young princess pushed the door open as the handle jangled and Guinevere finally caught up with her as she disappeared through the dark door frame. Gwen stepped into the threshold of the room and closed the door behind her quietly and with both hands on the dark wooden structure. As soon as she heard the handle click in place, she turned around as the hem of her dress dragged on the floor, and jumped at the tall figure standing behind her.

Her hand flew to her chest as she recognized the bearded knight and, brown eyes still wide with surprise, breathed out. "Gwaine! For heaven's sake!"

The knight slipped his blue tunic over his muscled chest and grinned teasingly, half-bowing with mock-respect. "I'm sorry, my lady, I didn't mean to startle you."

Guinevere took in his ruffled hair and glazed, deep auburn eyes and guessed that he probably just woke up. She rolled her eyes and slapped his arm. "You are _horrible_, Gwaine… I hope we didn't wake you up."

Gwaine stood to his full height and smiled as he adjusted his tunic. "Not at all, Gwen. I live to see your beautiful face in the morning."

The queen let out a sharp laugh. "You're married and you're still a flirt."

The knight bowed again. "Only with you, my lady, seeing as you too, are married."

"How does that make any sense?" Gwen giggled as she narrowed her eyes with laughter and spread her hands slightly.

Gwaine let out his own guffaw of laughter and leaned over a table to examine a piece of parchment. "Beats me."

"Where're the children?" Guinevere asked.

Just as she said it, Abigail ran into the room squealing as Gavin chased her, still dressed in his dark-colored nightclothes. The young girl ran behind her mother and clutched at her lavender dress, giggling as she dodged behind her. Gavin bobbed left and right, looking for an opening.

"Mother, help!" Abigail squealed.

Guinevere smirked as she craned her neck to try and keep up with her daughter's jerkish movements. "Abigail! Stop that!"

With one last jerk of her purple skirts, Abigail squealed and ran the other way as Gavin bounced around the queen and chased after her, bare feet slapping against the grey stone floor as childish laughter filled the air.

Guinevere giggled. "Abigail suggested Gavin and herself helping with Merlin's time travel research…"

Gwaine looked up from the parchment he was reading over. "Hm, not a bad idea… How's that coming anyway?"

The queen laid her slender hands on the table and leaned against it. "I know as much as you do, but I don't think they've found anything yet."

The knight gestured to a chair and Gwen gratefully sat as Gwaine did the same across from her, dragging over a half-eaten platter of food that the queen had failed to notice. "You don't mind if I –"

Gwen cupped the side of her face in her hand, her wavy brown hair slaying against her magenta sleeve. She grinned, "Go ahead Gwaine, it's not like you've never eaten in front of me before."

Gwaine grinned, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he picked at a chicken breast. "It looks as though Gavin's already destroyed half of it."

As if hit by a sudden though, Guinevere looked up and her alert eyes scanned the room. "Where'd they go anyway?"

"Probably in the corridor," Gwaine answered, swallowing. "No, don't worry," he said when Gwen looked like she was going to say something, "Gavin knows not to go too far."

The queen, seemingly satisfied, crossed her arms in front of her and set her head delicately in her folded arms. "It's not Gavin I'm worried about."

Gwaine, sensing Gwen's restlessness, scrunched his thick eyebrows as he plopped a light green grape in his mouth. "'Gail?"

Guinevere unfocused her eyes and Gwaine's chicken blurred, now a lump of tanned brown surrounded by deep blue blobs of blueberries and a small mound of green grapes. She smirked and refocused her eyes. "Maybe, or maybe I'm just being paranoid."

The elder hesitated before eating another slice of chicken."…Merlin?"

Gwen closed her deep auburn eyes and sighed. "Probably…"

Gwaine nodded. "So do you know what Arthur wanted to talk to Merlin about this morning?"

The queen's eyebrows scrunched. "Wha -"

"The 'hunting' trip; Merlin told me about it last night."

"Oh," she said, letting out another breath. "I only heard this morning. Yes, I know… some of it at least."

"And?"

Gwen sat up a bit straighter. "Well, the nightmares for one -"

"- he hopes to find the cause?"

The queen pointed her eyebrow, staring thoughtfully, and yet sightlessly at the wooden table. "We think we _know_ the cause."

A blueberry stopped halfway between the plate and Gwaine's mouth as he scrunched his eyebrows. "What?"

Gwen leaned back into her still folded arms. "Remember right before Merlin disappeared he was in the Vaults?"

Gwaine nodded, still looking perplexed.

"And later we told you that he'd looked into the Crystal of Neatid?"

The knight's eyebrows flew up as sudden realization hit him. "You think that's…"

"Yes," she answered simply. She took a grape from Gwaine's tray and rolled it between her fingers. "It's only been a few days for him, and obviously whatever he saw hasn't come to pass yet, or he wouldn't be having these nightmares. I think that's how it works anyway."

Gwaine nodded in agreement. "It makes sense… I know he was going to talk to Merlin about Morgana too."

Gwen bobbed her head. "Good. He needs to know."

Then Gwaine paused and narrowed his eyes at the queen. He noticed the slight tenseness of her brow and the way she stared sightlessly at the grape she had between her lithe fingers. "…There's something else isn't there?"

The queen's eyes snapped to him in surprise as they were pulled out of the trance. She blinked and refocused her gaze on the knight. "Well, Merlin's been acting a little strange…"

Gwaine grinned and swallowed another bite. "What else is new?"

A smile pulled at Gwen's own lips as she rolled her eyes. "That's not what I meant. I _meant_, that he's been acting like he's ill lately. You know, random times when his eyes become unfocused, or when he sways a little but catches himself -"

"- before he thinks anyone notices?" Gwaine sighed. "Yes, I know. I'm sure he's fine, Gwen. I'm sure Gaius knows about it and is handling it. You shouldn't worry about it; you've got a kingdom to run after all."

Gwen sighed. "I know, but I can't help it; it's _Merlin_."

"Little brother to us all, I guess," he smiled softly.

_"Very_ little brother if we're both at least twelve years older than him now."

Gwaine laughed. "I suppose you're right."

"Mother!" Abigail ran up to them, startling them both as they sat up straighter. "Gavin's dressing."

Gwen smirked and fixed her daughter's hair. "Alright." Then to Gwaine, "it seems we'll be going soon."

Gwaine stood. "I might as well come, too. The Princess isn't here to scold me for missing practice after all."

"Gwaine!"

Abigail laughed with her mother.

"What?" He gave her an innocent grin. "I think the king would appreciate the help."

"Alright," Gwen caved.

A pair of bare feet came running towards them. Gavin stopped at the table and pulled his boots over his feet. "I'm ready!"

"Good," Gwaine said easily. "Let's go then."

The queen nodded. "Gaius should be back from his rounds by now. If he's not, we can just wait for him."

With that, the foursome left Gwaine's chambers and headed for the Court Physician's.

* * *

They didn't stop until around mid-morning, even though they still hadn't caught anything.

"I blame you," Arthur quipped with a smirk.

Merlin scoffed and fought a grin. "Me? Why me? You're the 'master hunter,' all I ever catch on these trips is a cold."

Arthur rolled his light blue eyes. "I wonder why…?"

Merlin rolled his own deeply blue orbs in return, not deigning to answer his Once and Future King.

"Come one, let's get a fire started; it's chilly."

The manservant turned sorcerer swung his leg off of his mare and let gravity do the rest until his boots collided with the leafy ground. With mirth in his eyes, he glanced at Arthur between trying to untie the saddlebags. "And you wonder why I get colds."

Arthur laughed and undid his own saddlebags before setting them down next to the place he'd apparently picked for the campfire. Merlin gathered some sticks that were lying around and piled them on top of one another before lighting it with the flint.

The king's brow furrowed. "Why don't you use magic?"

Merlin threw him an amused glance over his shoulder as he stoked the growing flame. "Habit, I suppose. Besides, I don't want to use my magic for everything, it becomes meaningless then."

"What do you mean?" Arthur asked curiously.

Merlin grinned and scooted backwards a few feet and grabbed his share of venison from the supply bag. "Well, if I use if I use it too much – like for small tasks – then the whole of it loses it's real purpose; which is mostly to protect you; then it's used more for convenience than what it's meant for. And I don't want to become dependent – well, _more_ dependent – on my magic than I already am."

Arthur studied his friend's vacant expression as his eyes clouded ever so slightly as he stared sightlessly into the fire. "You're thinking of when you couldn't use your magic, aren't you?"

His own mind flashed with images of twelve years ago, a time which, for Merlin, he supposed, was only a few weeks ago, when Morgana and Merlin had battled it out in the forest and his sister had unknowingly poisoned Merlin's magic, making it so that he couldn't use it without feeling extreme pain.

The servant nodded, thinking. "I guess; a little. It's not an easy thing to forget."

"No kidding," Arthur answered, giving Merlin a small smile.

He grinned wider, thinking also that it was because of that event that Arthur and his friend's learned the truth about him: about his magic and everything he'd done for them with it. It was when they'd accepted him.

Laughing, Merlin took another bit out of the venison strip and took a drink of his water. Then his grin faltered and a more serious expression overcame the laughter in his tanzanite colored eyes. Arthur saw it and felt a sudden prick of concern and anxiety in his heart.

"What's wrong?" he asked, leaning a little closer.

Merlin glanced up at him, surprise fluttering across his face as if, when he's been spacing out, he'd forgotten about his companion. His mouth opened to reply but the king began talking first.

"And don't say nothing," Arthur added. "There's something; I saw it in your eyes."

Merlin gave him a wry smile and glanced down at his hands. "I'm not sure; I just have this funny feeling…"

"What kind of feeling? Most of your 'funny feelings' mean something bad is happening."

The warlock snorted with humor. "Yes, Arthur, because my traveling in time in the first place is completely normal. It's no wonder I have a funny feeling."

"Then it's nothing to do with the Crystal of Neatid, then?"

Merlin sputtered and choked on the water he'd been drinking and swallowed less than gracefully. "What?"

If Arthur hadn't wanted to keep the tone of this conversation serious, he would have laughed at Merlin's shocked expression, so instead. He ran a hand through his lightening blonde hair and sat back against the tree he was leaning on. "I wanted to talk to you about that actually. Yes, Merlin," he said at Merlin's inquiring face, "I remember the incident with the Crystal, Merlin; the day you disappeared. And I also know that for _you_, it was only a few days ago."

Merlin took in a breath to argue the point but his mind seemed to stop working so he stared into the cracking fire and picked at a stick in his hands. What could he say? That it wasn't a big deal? That he'd already forgotten the images? He didn't want to lie about it anymore; he'd promised his Arthur – _this Arthur_ – that he wouldn't anymore. So, that still left the question; what _did_ he say?

Arthur himself seemed to notice how he didn't know how to answer and, unseen to Merlin, good natured humor lite his fond eyes, because how often was it that Merlin was at a loss for words? Then he sighed and leaned a bit loser as the firelight made his hair shine. "How about you tell me about this feeling of yours?"

The warlock gave him a small grateful smile as his mind slowly began to turn again. His mind ran over the feelings of the past few days, of last night. He wanted so much to ignore the queasy feeling in his stomach, but he knew that was important too. "I… I don't know." He huffed out a breath of frustration and used his hands to gesture. "It's like anticipation, but dread at the same time."

Off to the side, Arthur's face morphed into something more concerned and anxious, even though Merlin didn't see it. The servant continued; "I feel like _something's_ happening and the dreams last night -"

"What dreams?"

Merlin looked at Arthur, half-surprised by the interruption and swallowed as he realized what he'd said. Now how did he explain _this?_ "Last night, I dreamed… it wasn't even a dream, it was more of a conglomeration of memories. But they all had _you_ in them… or the feeling of you."

"_Feeling_ of me?"

The servant smacked his lips together, brow furrowing. "It was like you weren't _there_, but I was still thinking of you, so you _were_, in a sense… I guess."

"Oh. And so this feeling of 'anticipated dread,' as you said, is directed towards me?"

Merlin rubbed his face ran a hand through his obsidian black hair. "I guess. Maybe? I don't know."

"Well, what did you see in the crystal?"

The warlock ran a hand through his hair. He knew this was coming, whether it come from his Arthur, or this future one. "It was, um…." He looked at Arthur, using his hand to gesture. "I remember the feelings more than the images, but, there was… you, and everyone else when we were first reunited in the Throne Room." Merlin's brow scrunched as he tried to re-call the images. "There was Kilgharrah… and… something happened; something bad, and…"

"Hey, are you okay? You're a bit paler than usual…"

The servant shook his head, which only made Arthur lean forward and lay a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Merlin?"

Arthur saw beads of sweat break out on Merlin's temples as his hands begin shaking as he entangled them in his obsidian black hair. "Merlin?" he said more forcefully; with more fear.

"I -," he tried. He took two deep breaths, feeling as if a weight on his chest was crushing him. "I -"

Arthur, with his worry unhidden on his slightly aged but ever handsome face, pulled Merlin into an awkward embrace with him kneeling in front of Merlin. He could hear the boy's short gasps of air next to his ear and he could feel Merlin's shaking body as he pulled him closer, willing whatever was happening to stop. It soon did, and Merlin, still fidgety, pulled back.

"I'm fine," he offered in a small voice.

Arthur gripped the sides of his arms. "Merlin, what was that?"

The warlock shook his head again, "'don't know… that was worse…"

The king stepped back and grabbed a water skin before giving it back to Merlin. "Worse than what?"

"Last time –"

"-last time?"

"Arthur."

"What do you mean _last time?"_

"Arthur, I'm sick."

Arthur wanted to retort with, '_Well, I can see that_,' but somehow he couldn't get the words past his lips. Instead: "What?"

"The time travel…" Merlin said as he tried to draw in a calming breath. "It's making me sick."

* * *

"Abs," Gavin hissed. "Where're we going?"

Abigail just pulled harder on his hand and tugged him behind a large and dusty bookshelf, her eyes alight with excitement. She let go of his hand and peered back around the tall shelf to make sure they hadn't been followed and then leaned in closer to Gavin. "I have an idea," she whispered.

Gavin scrunched his eyebrow as his green eyes flinted with curiosity and wariness. "What?"

The young girl pushed a lock of blonde hair behind her ear and used her arms to gesture. "We could use a searching spell."

Recognition flooded Gavin's eyes as Abigail's excitement snuck its' way into him as well. It would certainly save time. They could use the spell, find the book, and they're parents problem would be over. But how…? Doubt filtered through Gavin's eyes. "How do we get a searching spell?"

Then Abigail grabbed at her sleeve, widening the wrist hole as she pulled out a crinkled piece of paper. Gavin's brow relaxed as a grin pulled at his lips. Abigail unfolded the paper and Gavin saw the messy scribbling in black ink.

"I copied it from one of Gaius' spell books when we went to see him."

Gavin snatched the thin paper out her hand and brought it closer to his face to decipher the scribbles. Then the smile on his lips wavered as his brow came together again. "I can't do this; it's too complicated."

Abigail crossed her arms over her narrow chest, grinning teasingly. "Come on, Gavin, you can do it."

"No," Gavin said, "I can't. Why can't we ask Uncle Gaius to -"

"- because they're _not_ using it, so he obviously didn't think about it. Come _on_, Gavin. How much fun will it be to find the book and be the hero's, hm?"

Memories of his father's tales an through his head, and even though this was on a much smaller scale than his stories, determination fluttered in Gavin's stomach as he stared at the spell once more. He glanced at Abigail and nodded; she let out a small squeal of excitement and jumped to stand next to him as he mouthed the words, getting the feel for them.

"Come on!" Abigail prompted.

Gavin pushed her away a little. "Will you hold on; we don't know what could happen if I get this wrong. And there's no guarantee that I can actually _do_ this."

"Uncle Gaius said you're powerful, so it must be true," the young girl encouraged.

Gavin rolled his emerald eyes but smiled fondly at his friend before reciting the spell aloud. _"__Gemētan__ sēo bōc ic cunnian."_

Nothing happened.

Abigail nudged him. "Try again; Gaius said it took Uncle Merlin several times to learn a new spell."

Gavin nodded and cleared his throat, speaking more forcefully: "_"__Gemētan__ sēo bōc ic cunnian."_

Again, nothing.

"Once more."

The young boy nodded, and closed his eyes in concentration. This time, he reached down and envisioned a golden pool of magic, and like when he went to get water from the well, he imagined a bucket being dipped into the water and pulled up by a thick rope as Gavin felt his magic rising to his command. He felt his eyes begin to glow an aurous gold and repeated the spell before his eyes settled back to their usual hazel color.

Abigail let out a squeal of delight and Gavin's eyes snapped open to find a thin golden trail, which looked very much like sparkling dust, spreading before them. Abigail grabbed his hand and, smiling wickedly, pulled him along the path as he laughed.

Their hard footsteps echoed around the airy library as they hastily chased after the ever-growing line of sprinkled gold that slowly brought them further and further away from their companions on the other side of the library. Gavin stumbled but caught his balance quickly as they raced around an overly filled shelf bookshelf.

"Abs," he protested half-heartedly, "slow down!"

She only tightened her grip on his small wrist as she whiplashed him around another bookcase. Then, suddenly, the two were stopped in their tracks, chests heaving, as the trail disappeared behind yet another tall bookshelf.

Once they'd caught their breath, Abigail sauntered up towards where the golden stream disappeared and fingered the small crack in the back of the stand. She tried to curl her fingers around the old wood but the she couldn't. And when a small breeze tickled her trying finger tips, she jumped back in surprise.

"Let's get the others," she suggested. They could still be titled 'hero's' after all; they'd been the ones to find the location of the information, but there was no way they could move a bookcase by themselves.

Gavin nodded tiredly, turned, and started jogging back to the room the others were in with Abigail. "Father!"

* * *

Arthur squeezed his best friend's shoulder, looking intently into his face. "What do you mean it's making you sick?"

Merlin took in another breath. "I think the longer I'm here, the sicker I get."

The king blanched. "Wha -? Why -?"

"I don't know, Arthur, but believe me, it frightens me."

Arthur, now that he was looking for it, could clearly see the fear in his friend's hazy blue eyes. He felt a sudden rush of anger at everything had caused it, and then felt a wave of protectiveness as Merlin bowed his head. He had already lost Merlin once; he had no intention of losing him again. "It's going to be alright, Merlin, the others are looking for a way to send you back right now."

Merlin glanced at him hopefully and nodded before taking another deep breath and running a hand through his obsidian hair. Arthur, with his eyes still cautiously on Merlin, scooted backwards to his original spot and stirred the dying fire. They sat in silence for a few minutes, still slowly eating their provisions as the sun traveled over their heads.

Different thoughts ran through Arthur's mind as his mind became captivated with the flickering fire and the light shadows it cast on the ground. His eyes glazed over as he spaced and he thought of the inevitable: Merlin and Morgana.

A large amount of protectiveness rushed through him again, but this time it was underlined with a fair amount of guilt. His mind nagged at him to tell Merlin about his sister's anticipated arrival, but his heart said: 'Don't. He already has enough to deal with, and we'll probably find a way to get him home before she gets here anyway.'

Probably.

And what if they didn't? What then? They would need Merlin's help to defeat her; the only reason they'd survived earlier attacks was by sheer luck because Morgana hadn't exactly had many men with her. But now it seemed as though she had an army. And he had a right to know, after all.

Finally, and without any forethought, he let the words tumble out of his mouth. "Morgana's coming."

Merlin immediately choked, and if the situation hadn't been so serious, Arthur might have laughed, but not now. He waited for Merlin to recover, not looking at him, and then heard him cough out, _"What?"_

"I said –"

"I _heard_ what you said," he coughed disbelievingly. "And you're not kidding?"

The king scrubbed his face. "I wish I was."

Merlin, with a small spark of anger in his deep blue eyes, asked: "And when were you planning on telling me this?"

"Today, actually."

"Okay, but how long have you known? _How_ do you know she's coming?"

Arthur sighed. "A few days; rumors have been going around and it was confirmed by one of Annis' patrols."

Merlin eyes softened. "So that's why you've been so sullen."

Arthur dipped his head.

"Is there anything _else_ you'd like to tell me?"

The king shook his head. "Nope; I think that's about it. You?"

Merlin gave him a small smile. "No."

The pair laughed, but too soon, a melancholy feeling settled on the camp as the fullness of their situation ran through their minds. Arthur looked up to see Merlin staring blankly at the flickering orange flame.

"Hey," he said, snapping Merlin out of his daydream. "It's going to be fine."

Merlin grinned wryly at him and cupped his jaw in his hand. "Shouldn't I be telling you that?"

Arthur chuckled and threw the waterskin at him. The warlock ducked as it flew over his head and laughed. "Very nice," he quipped. "It's a wonder why we didn't catch anything."

The king only rolled his cerulean eyes and stood as his hair flashed. "Come on, we should get back."

Merlin nodded and finished off his venison, thinking they must have been there at least an hour already. "I wonder if they've found anything."

Arthur kicked dirt onto the small fire while Merlin retrieved the waterskin. "Only one way to find out."

That was when they first heard the din of Camelot's warning bells.

* * *

*sighs* It's over! Yes! This chapter was so difficult to write, and not only because of 5x13 feels, but because of fluff and no real action. I can't tell you how much I have overdosed on fluff. Too much fluff! *breathes* But have no fear, it's definitely picking up from here, and I'm kinda sad to say that there'll only be a few more chapters. Maybe like... *ponders, huffs* a few, alright? I can't even guess because I'm sure it won't turn out that way. :D But trust me... it's getting exciting... *evil cackle as she rubs her hands together* I have plans..._ and_ whump and angst coming... XD

So please review!


	12. On Our Doorstep

Hi guys! Firstly, I should say that I'm not dead. I promise! Nor am I a zombie, it's just that the plot bunnies for a post-5x13 fic attacked me, annnndddd I've been doing other stuff... :D So don't worry, it was time well spent!

Disclaimers: IDOM

Alright, enough talk, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

_"Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend."_

― Albert Camus

* * *

Merlin and Arthur both rode at near breakneck speed back to Camelot as the warning bells of the citadel continued their resounding din. They didn't speak much, the rush of the wind through their blond and jet-black hair, respectively, saw to that much, but they glanced at each other now and then, expecting the worst, especially after their previous conversation. Trees blurred in their vision and the only sound heard was the clatter of the horses' hooves against the weathered track and eventually, seemingly too slowly, they reached Camelot's gates. At the same time, they reined their horses to a slow canter, and then to a walk as surprise and concern etched their faces.

Now they knew what had the bells going off. Before them, filing into Camelot in a small, bunched up line, were haggard looking people with downcast, sad faces. Women hung near to their husbands, and children clung to their mother's skirts as they shuffled tiredly into Camelot.

"What happened?" Merlin asked no one.

Arthur answered nonetheless, "I don't know…" He dismounted his horse just in time to see Leon approaching them from within the castle walls. He wore his chainmail and a grim look had settled on his soft features.

"Sire," he said, bowing his head in respect. "It's good you came."

"Leon, what happened here? Who are these people?"

The knight compressed his already tense lips as he glanced between the people and Arthur, eyes narrowed against the bright sun. "Villagers, sire, from outlying towns. Sire," he tilted his head a little, voice hushed but loud enough for Arthur to hear perfectly. "It was Morgana." Leon glanced at Merlin, and Arthur, realizing what it was about, placated the knight just as Merlin caught up to them.

"It's alright, he knows, Leon."

Merlin's brow scrunched. "Knows what?"

"About Morgana," Arthur answered.

"She did this?" he asked, adding a little heat to his words.

Leon nodded. "They've only just arrived –along with our patrol from Annis' lands, Arthur."

"Alator and Airyauna are back?" Arthur asked, surprised.

Merlin stepped close, black hair flashing in the sunlight. "Gwaine's wife?"

Together, Arthur and Leon nodded before the knight continued. "They bring news about Morgana and her army."

_"Army?"_

"Yes, Merlin, army."

"Why didn't you tell me about _that_ part?"

"Merlin, _please,_ shut up."

The warlock looked like he was going to speak up again, but clamped his mouth shut and glanced at the ground.

"Are there any injured?"

Leon glanced at the crowd again. "Yes, minimal injuries, but quite a few number of people. I was told that Morgana attacked the village knowing that they'd come to Camelot. Sire, it doesn't seem that she wanted to hurt people as much as she wanted to send a message."

Arthur's brow scrunched with anxiety and curiosity. "What message?"

Merlin and Arthur both unconsciously leaned forward as Leon hushed his voice again, "She's coming to Camelot sire, and she's closer than we thought. It appears that she skipped over Annis' lands all together -"

"How?" Merlin interjected sharply.

"Far as we heard from Alator, she and a few other sorcerers created a transportation spell. But, from reports, it appears as though she's…," he seemed to fumble for words. "She's sitting on our borders, Arthur -her and her army, and they are marching for Camelot as we speak."

Arthur swore and ran a hand through his blonde hair, turning to Merlin after a moment. "Merlin, go ahead and see if Gaius needs help with the wounded, Leon, try and find accommodations for these people: food rations, housing, things like that. I'll go talk to Airyauna and see what she has to say."

Leon and Merlin nodded at their respective duties, Leon adding, "Gwaine's with Airyauna now. She twisted her ankle fighting some bandits on the way here from scouting ahead. She's refusing treatment until everyone else is looked at."

The King flashed a quick smile, and then he turned to Merlin again, clapping him on the shoulder. "Merlin, change of plans, _we_ are going to see Airyauna." Leon smirked in farewell and left to attend to his duties, leaving Merlin and Arthur to find the druid woman.

It didn't take long. All they had to do was enter the courtyard to see a woman sitting on the main stairs beside Gwaine. Merlin was astonished at how much she looked like her son. Her hair was a deep brown that fell to her waist, her green eyes sparkled in the sunlight, and the simple brown dress and deep green cloak she wore hugged her figure. Together, both Arthur and Merlin jogged over to them.

"Airy," Arthur said, grasping her forearm in greeting. "What happened?"

"Good to see you too, Arthur," she replied with a smile on her lips.

Merlin could see why Gwaine liked her and grinned. Arthur shared an amused glance with Gwaine as he squeezed her shoulders ever so slightly.

Arthur crouched in front of her, a smile playing on his lips. "Well, it could've been under better circumstances," he teased. Then, more seriously, "I head you were injured."

Airyauna clucked her tongue and rolled her deep green eyes. "It's only a sprained ankle. I don't see what everyone's going on about. Treat the others first."

"I'll be the judge of that, if you don't mind. Let me see," Merlin said, kneeling down.

She quirked a delicate eyebrow but obliged and pulled up the hem of her dress. Her boot was already off, and Merlin cupped her heel in his hand as he examined the swollen joint. She watched him with a curious eye before saying, "I'm sorry, I don't think we've been introduced."

Merlin looked up and smiled before carefully setting her foot back down on the bundle of cloth it had been on previously. "Sorry," he replied, sticking out his hand. "I'm Merlin."

She took it and shook, her face even more curious than before as if she was mulling something over. Then suddenly, she shot a look at a smiling Gwaine and back at Merlin, knowledge in her eyes. _"Merlin? _The _Merlin?"_

"Well I don't know what you mean by 'The,' but if it has anything to do with the stories _Gwaine's_ told you, I'm not sure I want to know," he laughed.

She looked gobsmacked as she glanced between her husband, Arthur, and then back at Merlin. But in a second, her featured cooled and she grinned, embarrassed. "No, sorry, I mean as in _Merlin Emrys_."

"The one and only," he said.

Her emerald eyes looked at Gwaine again. "But you supposed to be –"

The warlock prodded her ankle. She flinched. "Sorry. And dead? So I've heard," he grinned wryly. "Can you walk?"

"Just barely. I had to use a walking stick."

Merlin narrowed his eyes and put her heel down. "Well, good news is that it _is_ only sprained. Bad news is that you're not going to be walking properly for a few weeks."

Airyauna's mouth opened and her brow furrowed. "_Weeks?_ But I have duties -"

"-which you're excused from," Arthur interrupted, "until your fully healed."

Gwaine tightened his grip on her shoulders and gave Arthur a grateful grin. Then, back at Airyauna, "We don't want you to injure yourself even more."

Merlin went off to find Gaius and supplies to treat Airyauna and the druid snuggled up to her husband. "At least I can spend more time with Gavin," she said. She sat up suddenly and looked around, the sun catching the natural highlights in her auburn hair. "Where is he anyway?"

Gwaine's eyes flashed with something akin to wariness. "Sleeping. Arthur, he used a spell to find that book."

Arthur crouched down beside him, eyes narrowed and brow furrowed with intrigue. "He did what?"

Airyauna seemed to be about to ask the same question, and Gwaine continued. "Found Sigan's book."

"What're you talking about?" Airyauna asked, brow drawn with concern. She glanced between Arthur and her husband. "What's going on?"

Gwaine sighed and took her hand. "It's about Merlin. Something kind of power brought him here, and it leads back to Sigan and his apprentices. We've been looking for more information about it these last few days, and today Gavin used a spell to find the information we were looking for."

"But location spells are powerful," she added. "Is he alright?"

The knight nodded. "He'd be fine. Gaius said he only tired himself out."

Arthur, daydreaming, blinked to clear his vision and turned to Airyauna. He studied the confusion lighting her eyes, and remembered that she hadn't known about Merlin –_Emrys'_- return. "You didn't know, did you?"

He could see the frustration building behind the druid's jade colored eyes. "About _what?" _

"You didn't know about Merlin's return," Gwaine muttered, seeing what Arthur meant.

_"Gwaine."_

"I'm sorry, Airyauna, it's just that…" he stopped for lack of words.

Arthur continued in his place. "We thought all of _magic_ knew about Merlin's return. We thought that was why Morgana was…"

Gwaine's face grew more serious, and his brown eyes hardened. "That means -"

"-that she was coming here anyway. And I'm sure that she knows about Merlin now if she hadn't when she set off."

"She was coming to kill _you_," the knight realized. "Merlin's just an added bonus to her now."

Arthur's fist clenched as his jaw tightened, brotherly protectiveness making his eyes harden. "Not if I have anything to say about it. We need to get him out of here. What'd that book say –about the time travel?"

The knight shook his head. "Don't know. Gaius was flipping through it when the warning bells began."

Then Merlin was back with a satchel of supplies at his hip. Arthur and Gwaine filled him in on what they knew as he treated Airyauna. He listened with patience but Arthur could see the slight flutter in his hand: he wanted to be reading the book and finding a way home. His unease seemed to grow and soon he was dismissing himself to treat other patients.

Gwaine exchanged a concerned look with Arthur, eyes narrowed against the sun as a message was passed between their eyes. The knight broke the contact after a moment and slipped his arm around his wife's waist, pulling her up from the stairs. He cloak nipped at her heels and momentarily covered her wrapped ankle. "Let's get you to bed, Airy. Hey, don't give me that glare, Merlin said you were to rest, and Arthur gave you time off."

Arthur forced his lips into a small smile and ran a hand through his hair. "I'll ask Gwen to check in on you later. Though, no doubt she'll do it anyway."

Airyauna grinned, but her green eyes still gave away the druid's precaution. She knew there was something she was missing, but Arthur could see that she was restraining herself from asking. "Thanks, Arthur," she offered.

He nodded in response and watched as she hobbled in a turn around, and Gwaine helped her hop up the stairs. Arthur turned towards the throng of people crowding the courtyard, looking for someone specific. He saw several volunteers helping with the wounded and saw Leon herding a group of people into the castle, presumably towards rooms, and finally, saw Gaius treating a young child. He jogged over towards the physician and knelt beside him just as he finished with the boy.

"There you are, my boy," he said, smiling encouragingly, "now why don't you go get something to eat, hm?"

The boy smiled and, taking his mother's hand as she smiled with gratitude, pulled her further in to the courtyard.

"Gaius?" Arthur said.

At his beckoning, the physician turned. "Arthur? What can I do for you?"

The king used his hand to gesture. "How is everything coming along?"

"As well as can be expected," he offered. "Thankfully there are only minor injuries, but Arthur… I think this was more of a message than an actual attack."

The blonde nodded. "So does Leon. I heard from Airyauna that Morgana and her army are practically at our doorstep; she's proving her power."

"That's what I fear, sire."

There were several seconds of silence as Arthur thought, then, "Gwaine told me Gavin found the information we're looking for?"

The physician nodded. "Yes, sire, he used a finding spell that Abigail evidently copied from one of my books."

"But why hadn't we tried that earlier?" Arthur asked.

"Because I thought it wouldn't work," Gaius answered. "I had expected Sigan to have put a spell on the book preventing such things."

Arthur, satisfied, bobbed his head. "Had you got through much of it?"

"No. Only enough to know that it was, in fact, Sigan _and_ his apprentices. It appears as though his apprentice, Beatrice, scribed for him, which is why her seal was on the parchment."

"Okay, but did you find anything about the actual time-travel?"

"I'm afraid not. I'll need more time to study the book before I can say anything solid."

"I understand. Thank you, Gaius."

He turned to walk away, but "Arthur" turned him back around. "Yes, Gaius?"

"About Merlin…"

Arthur eyebrows came forward as his eyes expressed his curiosity. "What about him?"

"I assume you told him about Morgana?"

The king nodded.

"And I assume he told you about his…"

Understanding ebbed through Arthur's mind. "Sickness? Yes, Gaius, he told me."

Then a smile creased the physician's face. "Good. I'm glad. Now's not the time for secrets –on either side."

Arthur felt something stir in his chest, pursed his lips, and nodded, excusing himself as he checked with a few more soldiers and knights to make sure the refugees were cared for.

* * *

Later that night, Merlin crept through the foliage around Camelot. The moon overhead cast little light beneath the trees full canopy, and the warlock squinted his eyes to navigate between the tall beech trees. An owl _hoo_'d somewhere on his right and something upset the underbrush on his left. Merlin only trampled further into the forest as his breath smoked in the chilled air.

After treating various patients, both in Gaius' chambers and the courtyard, injuries ranging to a twisted ankle to a broken wrist, things finally settled down enough for Merlin to think about what had been found: the book they needed. Gaius had met him in the physician's chambers only a few minutes after Merlin had gathered the courage to crack open the text, and had sat with as he read through it with shaking hands. Now, he knew everything they needed for Merlin to be able to go home.

But was that a good thing?

He could return to his own time period –rewrite this future so that they never had to deal with his 'death.' He would always be there for him, like he was meant to be, and they would all grow into their future together: face difficulties, joys, hopes, losses _together. _He could be there for the birth of Guinevere's children, for her. He could rile Arthur about the difficulties of being a father and then be there for him as he stumbles through those problems, giving him advice along the way that shoulders his burden and helps him in the way his own father never could. He could be the one to help them when they have nightmares so that his friends could sleep, he could be the uncle they imagined him as.

But… everything seemed perfect here aside from Morgana. The kingdoms were already at relative peace. Arthur, Gwen, Gwaine, Gaius, and the rest of the knights had moved on from what they once were. They'd matured and aged and fought battles Merlin hadn't. The opposition towards magic coming back was over, things were settled here. Guinevere had given birth to two beautiful children –one named after _him_ for heaven's sake-, and Gwaine had even sired his own son. Everything was already set in place. All he had to do was… stay.

But then what about his unease? What about his sickness? Both were constantly getting worse, and if Morgana being at their doorstep had anything to do with then, they _would_ only get worse. And was he being selfish by wanting to avoid any more heartbreak that could come from going back to the past? Maybe. But what about Arthur and his friends _here?_ They needed him just as much as their counterparts from the past. _Could_ he stay?

His mind and heart battled between the two options, feelings ranging from frustration to despair, and as he stumbled over a root and into the clearing where he was supposed to meet Kilgharrah, the argument was banished from his mind as the dragon that lay in the clearing absorbed his attention.

Kilgharrah had always been large. He was full grown after all, but only seeing him once after the dragon had aged twelve years didn't press into Merlin's mind well enough that Kilgharrah had changed too. His golden scales sparkled in the moonlight, and his cavernous eyes settled upon the young warlock as Merlin walked further into the clearing.

"Kilgharrah?" he called. He folded his arms across his chest and fought against the despair rising within him. There were no tears to fight, but there was a well of sadness.

The Great Dragon's head dipped towards him. "What is it, young warlock?"

Merlin shuffled his feet. "We found what we need for me to go back."

Kilgharrah tilted his head. "Well then you should be rejoicing, Merlin. What's wrong?" He narrowed his eyes, seeming to study the warlock until his eyes opened fully again, flowing with understanding. "You don't want to go back, do you?"

"I-," Merlin tried, voice cracking. He swallowed, facing the long grass. "I mean, would it make a difference? Really? Everything's already been played through here. This future has already happened. And I –"

"Their future has already happened, Merlin," Kilgharrah interrupted, "yours has not. If you go back, time will be rewritten, and this future will have never happened. You did not see your friends after you went missing, Merlin. You did not see how they suffered -Arthur particularly."

The warlock looked up at Kilgharrah with interest and guilt. "What do you mean?"

Kilgharrah shifted where he sat. "He sought my council a while after you had gone missing. He'd wondered if, because of our shared connection, there was any way _I_ could find you."

Now Merlin felt the tears pressing against his eyes. Arthur was… He was nothing, if not loyal and steadfast. And stubborn. Merlin knew that Arthur would have done everything to find him, but he hadn't factored Kilgharrah into this. "What did you say?"

"The truth," he answered sadly. "I told the young king that I had tried and that I couldn't sense your presence anywhere upon this world…"

"…because I was already in this one," he realized.

Kilgharrah nodded. "And that crushed him. As I am lead to believe, Guinevere and Sir Leon had to divide his duties between them because the king was in mourning."

A hot tear slid down Merlin's cheek. He'd sometimes wondered how Arthur or any of his friends would react to the news of his death. With Uther's laws hanging over his head, making it illegal for Merlin to even be _breathing_, it wasn't very hard to begin fantasizing. Merlin had hoped that, as their relationship developed, Arthur would begin to think of Merlin more as a friend than servant, and sometime in their friendship, he had. But this… this wasn't the actions of a mere friend. These were the actions of a brother.

There had been times in his past where Arthur had reached out to him as such. Things had happened that had either made or fractured their relationship –the revelation of his magic being one such event- and it seemed like they'd always come out the strongest. But still… to hear that Arthur was so affected by his apparent death… it broke Merlin's heart to hear what his friend had gone through.

A tear slid down his other cheek and Merlin never bothered to brush either of them away.

Kilgharrah leaned his head closer and his voice softened. "This Arthur has already gone through that, and even though he pushed through his emotions, he still suffers, Merlin. You know this; you've seen it too."

Merlin thought back to all the times he'd seen Arthur's eyes lose focus as he was looking at him, remembered the memories he'd seen passing through his eyes and nodded back at Kilgharrah.

"If you choose to stay, Arthur will have to face your 'death' for the rest of his life, regardless that you have returned. If you do go back, he will have never lost you at all. I know it is tempting, young one, and it is _your_ choice to make, but please take my words into consideration."

The warlock looked up at him, forcing himself to stop the tears. "I will," he nodded. Then he finally wiped at his eyes. "Did you find anything about the time travel?"

"I spoke to a friend, a druid, but he didn't know anything about it. I am sorry I could not be of more help."

Merlin shook his head. "No, it's fine. We think we found everything we need anyway."

"Then I shall leave you, Merlin, unless you need something else?"

Again, Merlin shook his head, thoughts clouded and muffled behind a fog of exhaustion, sadness, and sickness. "No, thank you…"

Kilgharrah bowed his head respectfully and spread his wings before Merlin called him back. "Yes, young one?"

Merlin took a step forward, calcite blue eyes full of sincerity that had broken through the fog of his muffled mind. "Thank you –for everything you've done."

The Great Dragon smiled at him. "It's an honor, Merlin." With that, he did spread his wings and leapt from the ground, wings pounding with mighty gusts of air.

Merlin watched the dragon until he was nothing but a speck of black against a dark blue horizon, feeling spent. He blinked heavily and let one more clear tear fall before he turned around and began his long trek back to Camelot.

* * *

Mk, so, there's that. I promise I'll have the actual explanation of how it works in the next chapter -when he explains it to Arthur. Things are happening -Morgana, and it's building up the the _big_ chapter. The _big_ chapters already been written because I couldn't get it out of my head, and it's _bad_. So, please stick around for it! I know these past chapters have been a bit dry, but something big's coming. :D Anyway, thank you for reading, and I always appreciate reviews and love hearing your opinions! :)


	13. Explanations

Disclaimer: IDOM

Hello again... *hides behind door* I am so very sorry that it took me so long to update this. I have been so incredibly busy with another fic that I'm working on on the side, and then my other new story 'Now and Again' took up some time and my muse just hasn't been with me. And life. That usually puts a damper on my plans. *rolls eyes at school* I hope this makes up for it! And thank you to those who PM'd me asking me to update. It was much appreciated, believe me. :)

Anyway, here's the actual explanation of how it worked. I estimate that there'll only be like three or four more chapters left, but you know how it is with estimating fic lengths.

Also, you may have noticed new covers for both 'What Happens' and this story. ;) Those were a gift from ErinNovelist, a _wonderful_ photo-editor and friend on the Heart of Camelot. Hope you like them! :)

And finally... enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Some things are like dandelions, growing rapidly and easily apparent. But other things, the more important things, are rare, and take time to bloom.

-Anonymous

* * *

With a short, whispered word, Merlin lit a torch at the entryway of the Vaults, and Arthur snorted to his left. He turned towards the king with a small laugh in his blue eyes, shifting the book he was carrying in his arm.

"What?"

Arthur's eyebrows rose as he looked at the warlock, a smile pulling on his lips. He pulled the torch out of its holder and let Merlin lead. "Just thinking," he answered, shaking his head.

"Dangerous."

The king's grin widened as he laughed, but Arthur jabbed his friend with his elbow as they made their way deeper into the Vaults. "Anyway, how'd you sleep last night?"

Merlin glanced at Arthur, eyebrows furrowing in both fondness and confusion at the change in his king's voice. "Fine, I guess?"

In truth, Merlin had only been able to sleep for a few hours. After the meeting with Kilgharrah, the warlock hadn't been able to truly rest; his mind had been given too much to think about. Firstly, his decision whether to return to the past or stay here in the future.

That one in particular had had his mind churning and, after realizing that there really was only one thing he _could_ do -go back to _his_ home and_ his_ Arthur-, his mind ran with images and memories of what he would always remember _here_. Sigan's book had said theorized that, if he went back, he would still retain his memories of the future even though that reality wouldn't have existed. He would always remember this place, and when he returned to his time, he would do his best to build Camelot up to this potential. Camelot's could-be.

And secondly, what Kilgharrah said about Arthur's reaction to his 'death.' That was the main thing that had solidified Merlin's decision to go home. He knew, better than anyone, what it was like to lose someone and what it was like to live with that. He remembered how he felt when he finally saw Freya again, years after her death, and he knew what it was like to meet someone you loved, but still have to death with their death every day. Freya, he knew, was alright; she was safe in Avalon, but he still remembered, in detail, what it was like to have her die in his arms and still had dreams about her death every so often. It wasn't something he would ever forget. Who was he to force Arthur to live with his death everyday when he could do something about it?

"No nightmares?" he asked carefully but still with a small amount of hope in his voice.

The warlock's blue eyes softened and gratitude warmed his chest as he smirked. "No nightmares."

Arthur smiled as he followed Merlin around the last corner. "I'm glad."

Merlin glanced at him again, smirking as he stopped beside the bookshelf. "Me too." He put his hand on the dry wood and peered into the dark room, looking at it with a whole new perspective now that he knew how it worked. It was all strange now, knowing how the room worked.

"Well come on then," Arthur laughed, reaching up and ruffling Merlin's hair before hopping ahead into the room.

"Hey!" Merlin protested, righting his hair with his spare hand.

"What?" the king asked innocently. "You were taking too long."

"Prat."

"Always," echoed around the large circular room.

After that though, silence fell upon the two as a strange sense of melancholy settled on them. They each took in the room quietly, as if memorizing each feature: the rounded walls, the small shelves that were set against the cold stone, the dark, almost ashy looking runes on the floor, the uneven stonework on the floor.

"Arthur?"

The king started slightly at the sound of his name and, recalling Kilgharrah's words from the night before, Merlin noted the faraway look in the blonde's eye. He'd been in this room, in his mind's eye, twelve years ago, finding Merlin's cloak on the dirtied ground. Merlin suppressed a shudder at the idea of finding only _Arthur's_ cloak, and instead, Merlin furrowed his brow, concern showing in his eyes.

"You alright?"

The king coughed to clear his throat, eyes becoming more aware and hardening to the point where, if you didn't know him, you would never guess that something was wrong. "Yes, fine." He spread one arm out, gesturing to the room before putting the torch in a holder against the wall. "So are you going to explain how this works? I assume you've found out if you felt the need to drag me out of bed at the crack of dawn."

The last sentence was filled with mock-haughtiness, and the warlock felt a grin pull at his lips. "Well you always did say I never woke you up on time."

Arthur snorted but didn't reply, allowing Merlin to gather his thoughts before trying to explain. It took a moment and he didn't exactly know where to begin, but he hoped it would make sense. Ever since he'd finally learned how this room works, he'd been trying to plan out how to communicate it to Arthur or any of his friends, but when that time finally came, he was drawing a blank.

"Okay, so, I'm not exactly sure how -or where- to start, but..." Merlin bit his lip, eyes turned skyward as if the answer was floating somewhere amongst the dingy stones. He thought back to what he had learned, notions and thoughts flowing in his head before one took the foreground. "Common ground; the -this- spell needs common ground to work."

Arthur already looked thoroughly confused. "What?"

"In order for time travel to work, there has to be a common ground in the time periods -something that's always there and is sure to be wherever you're traveling to."

The king crossed his arms over his chest and Merlin could see that he was trying to be patient and trying to listen.

"Well, firstly," Merlin said, pulling a book out of the crook of his arm, "Sigan was, well, a genius -with both magic and science. He knew that he couldn't only just pick some random object or thing; it had to have importance and it had to be able to hold the power that was being transferred through it."

"And what was that thing?"

Merlin smiled as if it was the greatest, most genius thing in the world, and, eyes dancing, looked around the room. "He used _light and magic._ He used them both as stabilizations in his spell."

"Stabilizations?" Arthur asked.

The warlock nodded, thinking. "Picture a bridge, the spell itself is the walkway, but the light and magic are the supports."

Understanding lit Arthur's eyes, and he nodded at Merlin to continue.

"The runes in the floor help harness the spell, hold it in a specific spot so that it's focused and easier to control, and the light from it is what actually carries you through time. The magic in the spell acts as a vessel that keeps the spell locked on the time periods," Merlin finished emphatically, voice still echoing around the nearly barren room.

Arthur's grin widened and he readjusted his arms over his chest. "Okay," he said slowly, thinking it out, "but what brought you here?"

The servant pulled in his lips, thinking. "I've thought about that, and I thought that maybe it was because I had just looked into the Crystal. What I had seen -this place- was still fresh in my mind, even if I couldn't remember all of it. The room is focused my thoughts; you have to think, picture, where or _when_ you want to go, and it takes you to that time."

Arthur nodded with understanding. "Do you know what set off the spell in the first place? I mean, you obviously didn't say anything or do anything to make it work."

"I kind of did, actually," Merlin admitted with a small grin. "Sigan and his apprentices poured so much magic into this room, into the runes, that it became permanent. All it needs is a trigger to set off the spell."

"A trigger?"

"Yes, the trigger being magic. I had used magic to create a light ball when I first found this room. The spell was set off and I was transported here."

Arthur's brow furrowed, concern lighting his blue eyes. "So anyone with magic could use this?"

This time, Merlin shook his head, hair flashing violet with only the torchlight flickering about. "Nope. See, Sigan was smart, he knew that if just anyone could use it, anything could happen: people could travel in time and change the past, ruin future events or pivotal points in history. Time itself would be a wreck and the world would change around you without you even knowing it.

"He made it so that only those with powerful magic could use it. When I made the light ball, the spell, for lack of better term, _read_ my magic, and my potential for magic, and was activated. It takes someone with immense power to conduct and power this spell, Sigan and myself being the only two I know about."

Arthur snorted and smirked. "Very modest, Merlin."

The warlock laughed, moving his feet restlessly on the floor and making the pieces of broken stone crunch beneath his boots. "What? It's the truth."

The king only rolled his eyes in response, taking the room in with a new perspective, as well as taking Merlin in with a new appreciation. He'd known the warlock was powerful -he'd seen some of his power- but _only _some. Destiny had ripped him away from his best friend before Arthur had been able to see Merlin's true potential. Not that he'd ever truly tell Arthur what he could do, and, even though the king might tease him, Merlin was still the most modest person he knew.

And there was the room itself. Sigan was very powerful, Arthur knew. His power and madness were the stuff of nightmares, stories to make children listen to their parents. He remembered when they had found his tomb all those years ago and the ill-will that met them. Sigan was mad, yes, but he was also brilliant.

Another thought suddenly crossed his mind. "But then why make the room in the first place if he knew it was so dangerous? Even if only a select people can harness this power, it could still be used for the wrong ends. Even Morgana..." he whipped around to look at his friend, something akin to alarm in his eyes. "Do you think she'd be able to use this?"

"No," he placated, eyes hardening at the thought of such power getting into Morgana's hands. "I don't think so. She doesn't have enough raw magic to be able to instinctually harness the power -which you would have to do. And in this book," Merlin continued, gesturing to the open book in his hands, "Sigan never stated his original goal, he probably wanted to keep the secret from his apprentices, and only said that it was a 'just cause.'"

"So he'd done this before? Traveled in time, I mean," Arthur questioned.

"Well no," the warlock answered, a frown pulling on his lips as his eyes clouded over.

Arthur's brow furrowed and his hair reflected the firelight, making it look like he was wearing his crown. How had he not? He had made this room just _to_ be able to travel in time, hadn't he? "What do you mean 'no'?"

Merlin just looked down at the book, flipping through pages. "He was killed before he was able to try and use it. He had put so much magic into this one spell that he literally made himself sick. He was too weak to travel so his apprentices made him hold off until he was better. But following his recovery, he became fixated with immortality in the hopes of completing his mission without being killed. The last entry..." the warlock said while he flipped a page three quarters of the way in, "says this:

"'October ninth -I still have yet to complete my experiments, but Agor' -one of his apprentices," Merlin added, "'is as concerned as usual. My cough is getting worse and he's taken it upon himself to be my personal physician. He's a good lad, but he worries about my health a mite too much.

"'He helped me complete more calculations today. We're nearly there. I estimate that we'll have everything ready by early next week, and finally time travel will be possible. I plan on taking Agor with me on my travels as well. The boy is too bright to have his talents wasted as Dirwir's aid. I will speak with the king tomorrow about it and see if Agor can officially become my own apprentice. We have spoken of it between us already and now is a good a time as any.

"'I'm afraid I won't be able to work tomorrow; I have quite a few errands to run before I pick up again. I also need to pick up a few more herbs for my cough. The fever I had is gone, and I presume I'm on the mend, but with the Court Physician in another village, I'm afraid I can't confirm. He should be back in a few days, though. Until then, I'll take the prescription Agor gave me.'"

There was a short moment of silence before Arthur asked, "Is that it?"

The warlock's shining violet hair flashed with his nod.

"But that doesn't say anything," the king complained.

Merlin smirked at him and flipped to another page to glance at that. "It explains that this room was never used, meaning that the spell was still fresh...-er and ready to use."

"Then how do we know that Sigan even had enough power to use it?"

"He did _create_ it, didn't he?" the servant teased.

Arthur rolled his cerulean eyes and shuffled his feet, gravel crunching under his boots and echoing around the room. "Eh," he muttered. "Alright, but how do we get you home? If the spell was fresh then, surely it was worn out when you went through."

This time, Merlin shook his head. "Nope. Like I said, the spell became permanent. It's a fixture in this room and probably always will be. All it needs is more magic to set it off, which is why we're using torches rather than magic now."

"Ah. Gaius said that, didn't he?" Arthur said, pointing his eyebrow.

The warlock suddenly became fascinated with the writing in the book, and it took a moment before he answered, sheepishly. "He might have said... something like that."

The king snorted in amusement and ran a hand over his face, smiling. "So if you just used your magic, this thing would automatically start?"

"Yup," he answered.

Arthur felt his smile wane as a more bereaved feeling spread through the air. "Do..." he cleared his throat from the dust stirred up. "Do you know when you're leaving?"

Merlin looked up, eyes suddenly soft with understanding as well as his own amount of inquiries. His grip on the book tightened nervously and he blinked owlishly. "Well I hadn't... I hadn't really thought about it. I mean - I don't - I should probably leave soon considering everything, but I..."

Thinking it through, Arthur knew he was right; he should leave soon. His sickness, even though he was doing a better job of hiding it, was still affecting him. Arthur could tell by the darkness in his usually lively eyes and by the way he held him himself. And Morgana was still coming. She was an ever-present threat but now that they knew more about how this worked, if Merlin went back to his own time, this attack wouldn't happen anyway.

But, even though Arthur knew it wouldn't matter, it would still be hard to see him go. "How about tomorrow?"

The warlock looked at him with sheepish confusion. "What?"

"Dinner tonight, a good night's rest, and you can leave in the morning. I'm sure everyone will want to say their goodbyes."

Merlin forced a smile, thinking of everything that would change around him if _-when- _he went back. His friends wouldn't be the same people he'd grown fond of here; they would be twelve years younger, twelve years less of themselves. The children: Abigail, Rowan, and Gavin, wouldn't have been born, and Merlin was afraid that they never might. If he went back and changed the past, who's to say that he doesn't indirectly affect their birth?

It wasn't only because of his friends, though, that he wanted to stay. Merlin was starting feeling at home here, despite his sickness and unease, but he also wanted to stay because he was_ frightened. _Frightened of leaving his new-found friends, frightened that things would go wrong, frightened that he would never be able to build Camelot up to this.

There was a moment of stuffy silence before the warlock spoke, putting as much strength into his voice as he could. "Sounds good to me," he answered, fighting past the sudden and unbidden rush of nausea.

Arthur stepped forward and clapped his shoulder, eyes dark but seemingly happy. "Good."

* * *

Gaius handed him a small, murky looking filled bottle of... something, and Merlin chugged it down with one gulp, not wanting to taste the liquid on his tongue. It was something you learned to do when you lived with the Court Physician.

He coughed and put his wrist over his mouth, scrunching his face at the sharp odor coming from the bottle. "What _was_ that?"

The physician eyed him with amusement and turned back to another potion he was mixing. "Some pericul, leafwood, muleic... a pinch of salt."

Merlin gagged as the taste lodged in his throat and forced himself to swallow down a glass of water. He exhaled after he'd finished and turned back to Gaius. "And you're sure this'll work?"

"No, but it's worth a shot."

The servant's lip pulled into a skeptic smirk and he pointed his eyebrow, wondering what has possessed him to ask Gaius if there was anything that could keep his time-sickness at bay. Because, of course, there would be some complicated remedy from a hundred years ago that only _might_ work, and, of course, he would naturally become the guinea pig to another one of Gaius' 'experiments.'

"So it _might_ work, but it also might make me even _more sick?"_

Gaius looked up from his work once more to glance at him, smiling. "Exactly."

Merlin released a well-deserved sigh and cupped his jawline with his hands. "Wonderful."

After that, a comfortable silence fell amongst the two, and Merlin found himself staring at his mentor as he ground a herb. All things considered, the warlock thought that he had aged well -aside from a few more wrinkles, he looked just the same as he did in Merlin's time, and he couldn't help but feel warmth spread through his chest as he realized that his own Gaius still had a long time to live if things played out the same way. He couldn't imagine himself without Gaius' guidance and counsel; his wisdom and fatherly mannerisms. For Gaius was indeed the father he had never had and, even if they disagreed sometimes, he knew that Gaius would always be there for him. Like he was now.

"So have you thought about taking anything with you?"

Eyes refocusing as he was pulled out of his reverie, Merlin looked up at the physician. "What?"

"When you go back tomorrow -have you thought about taking anything with you?" Gaius asked again. After Merlin and Arthur had left the Vaults, they had gone their separate ways, Merlin to Gaius', and Arthur to his own chambers to have lunch with his wife, leaving either of them to tell the others.

The warlock's brow came together as he considered the question. No, he hadn't really thought of it. He always just assumed that he wasn't supposed to. Well, that's not exactly true. Sigan had talked about taking things with him as he traveled: necessary supplies, potions, books, things like that. He had never specifically spoken about taking things from one time and placing them in another, much less the _past._

"I better not," he finally answered. "Don't want to mess with the timeline and all that. I'm already frightened of what I might change."

Gaius gave him a small, understanding smile, eyes softening. "I know."

The warlock felt as if something snapped in his chest, and he went on in a worried, anxious voice. "Gaius, what if I muck things up? What if something happens and the timeline is all wrong?"

"Merlin," the physician interrupted softly. He took a step towards the boy, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder and unknowingly anchoring him. Merlin looked up at him almost pleadingly, and love for the young man made Gaius thin lips pull into a soft smile. "There are things in this world that we can control and even more things that we cannot. If anything happens, it will not be your fault," he told Merlin. His grin softened even more and Gaius set a reassuring hand on Merlin's shoulder, squeezing it lightly. "And beyond that, I'm sure that whatever does occur, Camelot will be a better place with your hand in its growth. No matter how far apart you are, you and Arthur are still two sides of the same coin; you need each other."

The warlock smiled up at him, a small rosebud of warmth blossoming in his heart. Gaius always knew what to say to make everything just a little better. And while he still felt unsure -because a few words, no matter how meaningful, cannot quell all fears- he did feel a little more confident that things would play out how they were meant to. Gaius was right; he was meant to be at Arthur's side. He knew that, if he had been here, things would have played out differently. Not that they didn't turn out spectacularly already, but he would have been there to help Arthur through the tough times and, not that the prat would admit it openly, but he did have a strong influence on the king.

And, now that he really thought about it, he would have liked to have been there when Arthur had needed help with those decisions. He would have been that guiding hand that his friend always needed. Merlin would have liked to be there to give Arthur advice. He was First Advisor to the King after all.

"Thanks you, Gaius," Merlin offered kindly.

His guardian nodded and turned back to the worktable, chopping some hufret on a wooden board. "So what has Arthur planned for tonight?"

Merlin let out a light chuckle, staring at the hufret. "Dinner, I suppose. He wants us all to meet in his chambers shortly before nightfall."

"Who's all going?"

"Erm... us, obviously. The knights are going to be there."

"Yes, I had guessed that," Gaius smirked, amused.

The servant grinned, blue eyes crinkling in the corners. "No one else that I know of."

Another moment of comfortable silence before Gaius glanced at his ward with curious eyes. "How do you feel now?"

"A little better," Merlin answered, thankful for the tonic the physician had given him. "I don't feel so warm anymore."

Gaius laid his knife sideways on the table and scooped the dry hufret leaves onto it before dumping it in a bowl next to him. "That'll be the mint."

The servant folded his arms in front of him, resting his chin on his toned forearm. "I don't suppose you know how long it'll last?"

"I've no idea," Gaius said simply. "Let me know if it starts to wear off."

Merlin glanced up at his mentor. "Don't worry. I will."

* * *

It turned out that Arthur was the one who explained it to Guinevere. Both Merlin and the king had thought that Merlin might run into her first since Arthur was going to train with his knights later in the afternoon. But they ended early, around mid-afternoon, and Arthur found himself in front of a stack of papers on his desk.

"So how'd it go?" she asked, walking into their shared chambers.

Arthur looked up from the parchment he was reading through -another report- and waited for his eyes to focus on his wife. After a few seconds, they did, and it took another two for his mind to register her question. "Good. I think he really knows how to do it."

The queen smiled and took his hands in hers, folding them together. "I'm not surprised," she answered. She grinned broadly, like an excited school girl. "So how _does_ it work?"

In chopped words and gestures, the blonde tried to explain it to her in the terms Merlin used, but it only seemed to confuse her. Arthur admitted that the warlock was so much better at explaining things than he was as Gwen smiled when he stumbled over his words. It took a few more tries, but Arthur finally got it out, finishing with his idea of having everyone over for a sort of 'going away' party.

"That's a great idea, Arthur. Nothing too big I hope, you know how Merlin doesn't like big gatherings."

Arthur smiled, thinking about any feasts he had attended with Merlin. The servant had always acted so formal at those; needing to be the perfect servant to compliment the prince turned king. It not only gave Merlin due credit as an excellent servant, but also raised the noble's respect of Arthur. But even if the warlock had enjoyed himself, he wasn't used to such large gatherings, and always acted nervously. Even at the celebration for his becoming Court Sorcerer and First Advisor to the King, Merlin had shied away from the larger groups of people.

"I know," he answered with a light laugh. "It's just going to be the knights."

"What about the children and Airyauna?"

"Airy needs her rest -Gaius' orders. I guess the kids can come, but I don't want them staying up too late."

Guinevere nodded her agreement, smiling happily. "They'll be thrilled."

"The only problem," the king answered with a laugh, "will be getting them into bed afterwards."

Brown eyes danced, and Gwen kissed Arthur's palm before pulling away and heading towards the door. "I'll tell the kitchen staff to prepare a large dinner."

The blonde smirked, sitting back down at his desk and pulling up the report again. "Probably a good idea considering the crowd," he remarked.

Gwen smiled at him once more before the folds of her lavender dress disappeared behind the closing door. When she was gone, Arthur finally allowed himself to frown as his eyes lost their laughter, sky blue orbs hardening with foreboding. He read through the report once more, lips thinning into a straight line.

Morgana was still drawing closer, this latest report saying that she and her men were currently camping on the border, resting, and frankly, it felt like she was almost mocking him. She knew that they didn't have the proper time to prepare, and her just... _holding off_ was making the anticipation ten times as worse. The waiting was always the hardest part, in any war.

But the only thing they needed was to get Merlin home. Getting him home was the key to ending the fight, this one at least. When he had first explained how everything worked, Arthur had considered the idea of Merlin leaving sooner than the morning after, just so he would be safe, but there was no way he was sending off his best friend without a proper farewell. He had spent the first six years of their relationship telling Merlin how much of an idiot he was, never truly telling him how important he was to him, nor how much he would suffer if he lost him.

And then he _had_. And it had _hurt. _

It had put Arthur in more pain than he had ever been in and Merlin deserved to know that. Because, even though his younger self had told him some of it when Merlin's secret was revealed, it still went so much deeper than that. _So_ much deeper.

So for one night, he could push Morgana to the back of his mind.

For Merlin.

* * *

Alright. *breathes* It took me forever to figure out how to start this, and I'm actually pretty proud with how the explanation came out. Finally things are coming together and we can get out warlock home to his friends. :) If you guys want anything specific to happen in the next chapter, or just general ideas, please mention them because I'm kind of at a loss of what to have happen. *rolls eyes at self*

Hope you liked it, and please review! ;D


	14. Friends and Foes

Disclaimer: IDOM

Hiya, guys! Alright, so school's out! Woohoo! And I'm officially a senior! Yay! But, while it's summer, I'm afraid to say that doesn't mean I'll have a whole lot more time to write. Buttttt... I will try my best. Hence this chapter.

I hope you guys like it - I kinda wrote it in the past two days, and it moves kinda fast.

Enjoy!

* * *

The moon rose slowly above the canopy of trees as night conquered day. The temperature fell, and crickets sang in the long grasses. Two pairs of eyes glanced around, wary, but full of anticipation and mirth. The blue shaded trees wavered as the younger of the two set his hand against a branch.

"All is well, I trust?"

"Indeed, my lady. There was no trouble at all."

A sly grin grew on the woman's face, and her emerald eyes glittered with pleasure as they narrowed. "One would think that in his years, my brother would learn."

The druid smirked, gloved hand plucking several leaves from the tree and folding them at the center vein. "It would appear not." His black hair shone blue in the moonlight, accenting his eyes. "He seems as naive as the day he was crowned."

"Be careful, Mordred. Arthur might be less vigilant with his special..." she sneered, "guest, but do not become overconfident. Apply what I have taught you."

He bowed his head in acknowledgment suddenly, as if ashamed, and only glanced at the woman before him. "Of course, Morgana. Forgive me."

She took a step forward and placed a hand on his shoulder, using her other forefinger to raise his chin to meet hers. She admired his features the way a mother would a son: his still youthful face, ebony hair that was starting to tinge with silver, and her eyes softened. "There is nothing to forgive, Mordred. Just be cautious."

A smile came back on his face, and he nodded, allowing one or two leaves to fall from his hand. Morgana squeezed his shoulder and grinned fondly at her ward, using her hand to adjust the shaggy hair falling on his charcoal grey scarf. "There is little time, Mordred, gather your party. In only a few hours, we attack." Her eyes, tinged with madness gained throughout the years, sparkled with unseen visions, and the smile on pale lips grew. "And whether we are successful or not, Merlin will finally get what he deserves. After all these years of waiting, Merlin's spirit will finally be crushed."

"Then this shall be a night of victory indeed," the man responded. Morgana's smirk grew and she walked off, long cloak trailing behind her on the forest floor. Mordred followed her, allowing the rest of the lingering leaves to fall from his hand and darken as the shadows reached out and claimed them.

* * *

Childish laughter filled the air as much as the candlelight flickered off the stone walls. Gavin rushed around one of the stone pillars that outlined the royal's bed, laying his small hands on the brick as a ball of light chased him around the room. The colors alternated unexpectedly, one moment sap green, the next a bright pink, which only seemed to fuel the excitement in the air. Several other lights hovered around the other occupants in the room, and Abigail cupped a bright red sphere in her hand like a marble. Gwaine smiled up at his light green one and poked it, making it flutter away as if abashed.

"Can you teach me this one?" Gavin asked breathlessly, coming to a halting stop beside his father and making the pursuing sphere crash into his shoulder.

Merlin smiled, flicking his fingers in the air and creating a globe for Guinevere and Percival. "No, silly, you're not supposed to use your magic, remember?"

The boy smiled sheepishly, and Gaius's eyebrow rose as if in reminder. After Gavin had woken up from his nap, Gaius had strictly instructed him to let his magic rest after such a strong location spell. "You may have strong magic, Gavin, but that doesn't mean it doesn't get tired or overused."

"Uncle Merlin's magic doesn't get tired," he responded jestingly.

"Uncle Merlin's had plenty of time to practice as well, Gavin," Gwaine smirked, ruffling his son's shaggy hair. "Believe you me, you should have seen some of the creatures he took down."

Merlin blushed, smiling shyly. "I did have help, you know."

Gaius snorted. "Not that you needed it."

The warlock felt a sharp swoop of appreciation towards Gaius, and the rest of his smiling friends, and the sobering thought that this would be their last night together ran through the back of his mind. Tomorrow he would be back in his Camelot, with his Arthur, and his knights. His magic, as if reacting to his thoughts, sent a pang to his stomach. A pang of longing and perhaps a bit of homesickness.

"I want to try it!"

Gwaine brushed his son's hair back from his face. "Maybe another day, Gavin."

The young boy scrunched his lip off to one side, biting the inside of his cheek before giving in. "Fine."

Abigail, blond hair flashing, laughed as she climbed atop a chair to follow her light sphere. "Uncle Merlin, can you make it golden?"

The far-off look in the warlock's eyes vanished at his name, and a smile broke out on his face. "'Course I can," he answered. He waved his fingers, eyes not even needing to glow aurous as the sphere changed from a sparkling emerald to a honey-gold with a small tail of glittering dust.

"Whoa."

"Parlor trick," Gwen admonished, crossing her arms. Merlin glanced at her, chuckling as her eyebrows rose. She turned to Gavin and Abigail, both of whom were looking at her with a mixture of confusion and appreciation. "I've seen him change the color of trees with a single thought. Even bird's feathers."

Merlin could already see their minds buzzing with bewilderment, and so Merlin turned to the scarlet cloak Arthur had laid over a chair. His eyes flashed a dull gold, and the crimson was changed into a light purple.

"Lilac?" the queen said, curling a finger around her lips to hide a sly grin. "I think that should be Camelot's new color. Don't you, Arthur?"

"I think so!" Abigail yelped quickly, running her hand along the course fabric.

Merlin laughed as Arthur fought a grimace. "Not sure that lilac is the strong, Camelotian shade Arthur's looking for, Gwen. And I'm not exactly sure the knights would appreciate running into battle with 'purple trailing dramatically behind them."

The king looked gratefully at Merlin as the knights laughed outwardly. "Thank God you're here, Merlin, or else Camelot's colours _would_ be purple."

Eyes dancing, Guinevere flashed her husband a wide smile as she laughed. "There's nothing wrong with purple, Arthur. A lot of kingdoms have purple in their emblem."

"Their emblem is usually more complicated and colorful than Camelot's too, Guinevere," Elyan added. "Think of the stories it would spawn: 'And the knights of Camelot, bright lilac coloured capes whipping out behind them, charged into battle.' Merlin's right, that's rubbish."

The queen only laughed harder, and Abigail smiled at her blood related Uncle. "I bet Leon would like it."

Leon, who had been in Camelot the longest, been a knight the longest, and had served the crown the longest, would most definitely not like it, but he wasn't there to speak for himself. In awareness of Morgana's coming, Arthur had asked him to be on the lookout for signs of her approach. She was due tomorrow afternoon, after all, and there was still some planning to be done. Arthur himself, and the rest of them, should be by all means preparing for a siege, but in the hope of her attack being stopped by Merlin's departure, they put that all on hold.

"I'm not so sure of that," Percival chuckled.

Merlin, full lips pulled into a grin, opened his mouth to say something when the door to the royal's chambers was suddenly swung open. Leon, speak of the devil, stood there with a gloved hand holding the lock tightly, jaw set and face determined and serious. His maroon cape gathered around his boots, and his long hair brushed against his cheek.

"Leon?" Arthur asked, hand curling around the back of one of the chairs as if he already knew what was coming and was bracing himself for it.

The knight's eyes glanced around the room, and Merlin could see the hesitation in his eyes as blue orbs met his own. Leon's gaze finally fixated on Arthur's, and he nodded slightly. "It's Morgana, sire. She's here."

Gwaine swore, and immediately, Arthur set his jaw as his eyes sharpened. His hand separated from the chair backing. "Where is she now?"

"In the lower town. Her army is destroying the crops, and the people are in a panic."

He nodded, gathering up his chainmail and sword and putting them on top of the table. "Percival, Leon, Elyan, I want you in the lower town. We need to get the people out of the city. Use the catacombs beneath the castle, and take them north towards Nemeth."

"Respectfully, sire, I would like to remain here for Gwen and the children," Elyan said. "I want to make sure they get out safely."

After a moment, Arthur seceded. "Fine." He looked at the other two knights, both of whom nodded in acceptance at the change. They bowed their head and left, shutting the door behind them. The king grabbed the hem of his chainmail and Merlin, ever the servant, rushed over to help him dress.

"Father? What's going on?" Abigail asked, a sliver of fear in her voice. Guinevere gathered her next to her and ran a hand over her head comfortingly.

"It's okay, Abigail, there's nothing to worry about."

"Elyan, fetch Rowan," Arthur said, flicking his head to push his hair out of the way. "We need to get them out of here." Fingers curling around the cold mail, Merlin adjusted Arthur's armour and helped tighten the hauberk on his collarbone. Arthur grabbed a gauntlet and tightened it around his forearm as Merlin fixed the metal on his shoulder. "Gwaine, go and get Aslynn, tell her to meet us in the Hall. Alator too."

Gwaine glanced at Gavin, whomofwhich had fear running beneath his green orbs, and Guinevere put a hand on the boy's shoulder, giving Gwaine a reassuring glance. "It's alright. I'll look after him." Smiling with gratitude, Gwaine nodded and followed Elyan out the door.

"What the plan, Arthur?" Merlin asked, face pensive and thoughtful.

Arthur tightened the gauntlet on his right arm, and Merlin handed him his sword, which he sheathed. "The plan, Merlin, is to get Guinevere, Gaius, and the children out of Camelot safely before Morgana advances any further and to get you home." The thoughtful look on Merlin's face transformed into a sad frown, and Arthur's eyes softened. The king took a step towards him, and whispered, "I'm sorry, Merlin, but it's the only way."

After a moment, Merlin nodded, eyes hardening again. "I know."

Arthur peered into his face for a moment before taking a step back, still feeling a pang of sorrow in his heart. "Let's go."

* * *

Leon's boots slapped against the stonework as he ran down the stairs and down into the lower town. Percival followed at his footsteps as people were herded into the side entrance to the castle. "Keep moving," he ordered, shouldering past citizens as they crowded into the courtyard.

In the distance, smoke was captured in a red heat as crops and houses burned. Pausing to unsheathe his sword, Leon heard Percy swear under his breath as he unsheathed his own sword. More people pushed past them in a frenzy, yelling in fear. "Percival, go to the eastern courtyard, make sure everyone got out. I'll go west."

Percival nodded, narrowing his eyes against the hazy darkness. "Be careful." Leon nodded back, and Percival was gone.

The knight turned to his left, finding his footing and jumping over debris which had been knocked over in the rush to get out. More people ran past him, and he shouted encouragement as he ran against the crowd. "Go to the castle!"

A few seconds later, he arrived at the western courtyard and was grateful not to see a soul in sight. He breathed a sigh of relief, watching as the fires grew and consumed more and more houses, heading towards the castle. But all the people were gone.

Leon's breath abruptly left him as he was flung against a wall. His head connected with brick with an sickening crack, eyes flying shut at the impact. Sliding to the ground as his whole body ached, Leon let out a groan and slowly, painfully, opened his eyes. Blood pounded against his temples, and he flexed his fingers around the hilt of his sword as a the black blur before him focused. Framed by an ever pale face, Morgana's emerald eyes peered into his face, and Leon suppressed a cringe.

"Hello, Sir Knight," she smirked.

The world still churned, and his head still ached, but soon enough the men gathered behind Morgana came into focus as well. Mercenaries by the looks of them, all unkempt and dressed in dark colors, sporting various weapons.

"Morgana," he acknowledged.

Her hand came up and brushed a lock of hair back from his face. Leon let out a rugged breath, too weak to do anything. "Now, Leon, we can do this the hard way, or the easy way." Her smile, though soft and full of warmth, had the same effect on Leon as a rearing snake. "Where's Arthur and Merlin?"

The knight tasted blood in his mouth, ebbing from where he'd bitten his tongue when he collided with the wall. Pain sliced through his head, and he thought that he must have a concussion. He let out a weak laugh. "You won't find them, my lady. They've already escaped."

Morgana's eyes narrowed into thin slits, and her fist clenched on her thigh. She leaned closer into his face, lips pulled down into a menacing frown. "Do not lie to me. They would not leave Camelot unguarded when the castle itself has not been breached yet. Where are they?" Leon's eyelids drooped a little, and Morgana grabbed a section of his hair, yanking it up so that their eyes met. "Where. Are. They?"

A smile came on Leon's lips as he looked into her face. Determination was set in his eyes, and his hand loosened its grip on his sword, letting it fall to the ground. "You'll never win, Morgana. You haven't in the past, so what makes you think you will now?"

Her lips turned into a feral snarl, and she tightened her grip on the knight's hair, making him blink to try and clear his vision. "I _will _win this time, _knight_." Fear suddenly ran through Leon as a crazed smile made her eyes dance with glee. "All I have to do is break the warlock," she whispered. "And Arthur's _death _will accomplish that."

"Merlin won't let you," Leon protested, fidgeting as fear raced through his body.

She didn't even blink. "Merlin will be too busy to protect his king. Trust me."

And she threw his head back against the wall, making Leon's eyelids flutter as darkness overtook him.

* * *

Arthur pushed open the doors to the Grand Hall, moonlight pouring in from the tall windows, and casting an airy blue light around the room. Merlin followed loyally at his footsteps, Gavin holding his hand. Abigail held Guinevere's hand, and Gaius pushed them all on.

"We should be alright in here while we wait," Arthur said, pushing the door closed behind them.

Merlin turned to him, letting go of Gavin's hand as the boy went to Gwen's side. "What're we doing here?" he questioned, confused. "Shouldn't we be heading down to the catacombs?"

The king smirked at him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Nope." The warlock frowned in confusion, and Arthur let go of his shoulder. "We'd planned for an attack, Merlin, it's alright. We thought that, in an attack, the first thing to do is Gwen and the kids to safety, which is where Aslynn and Alator come in."

"Wait, but -"

"They're to use magic to transport everyone out of here - to a safe haven - until everything's settled."

"But how -"

"Arthur!"

All of them turned towards the side door next to the thrones at the front of them room. Elyan held the door open as Alator assisted Aslynn through the door, staff clicking along the polished wooden floor. Gwaine followed behind them, a bundle in his arms, and Elyan closed the door behind them. The two groups met halfway, and Elyan immediately ran to Arthur's side as Gavin ran to his parents, and Gwaine handed Rowan off to Gwen.

"Sire, we need to get them out of here_ now_. Morgana sent a forward party; we heard fighting in the east corridor. I believe they're headed this way."

The king's mouth immediately tightened, and he nodded, turning to the group. "Aslynn, are you well enough to perform a transportation spell?"

She glanced briefly at Gaius and Alator. "I believe so."

"Good. I want you, Gaius, and Alator to prepare yourselves. You all need to get out of here. Elyan and Gwaine will go with you."

Guinevere took a step forward, fear flashing in her eyes. "And what of you and Merlin? You can't stay here, not with Morgana coming. It's not safe."

"Occupational hazard."

_"Arthur." _

He took a step forward, encasing her hands in his own. "It'll be alright, Guinevere," he whispered. "As soon as I get Merlin back to his own time, all of this will be over. Remember?"

Pursing her lips, she replied. "That doesn't make leaving you here any easier."

"I know," he replied, leaning down to give her a light kiss on her lips.

"Come on, Gwen, we have to go," Elyan said softly.

She glanced at her brother, offering him a short nod. Squeezing Arthur's hand once more, she stepped back into Elyan's guiding arms as he led her into the group. "Wait!" she said suddenly, handing Rowan off to her brother. She ran forward again, throwing her arms around Merlin in a tight embrace. He wrapped his arms around her waist, smiling as water built in his eye.

"Good luck," she whispered, pulling back.

He nodded, and Gaius came forward to embrace his ward. "Good luck, my boy."

"Thanks."

Then Gwaine came forward, wrapping his arms around Merlin's neck and pulling him close. "When you get back... just... be careful, yeah?"

Merlin let out a soft laugh. "I'll try."

Gwaine pulled back, slapping Merlin's shoulder as his grinned.

"Let's go, Sir Gwaine. I fear we do not have much time," Alator said.

The knight glanced back at him, nodding before turning back to Merlin. "I'll see you soon."

And Merlin couldn't find it in him to disagree.

Gwaine stepped into the circle made by Aslynn, Alator, and Gaius, and folded Gavin's little hand in his. Seeing all to them together like this made Merlin's head swim with second thoughts. He would have to wait to have a family like this again, but he still had_ his_ family waiting for him. And no matter how bittersweet this time had been, he couldn't fail. Not now.

Almost at the same time, the three sorcerer's in the group started chanting the same spell, and soon enough, the winds gathered around them. The moonlight almost seemed to encase them in its hold as they began to fade within the winds. Just before they faded, Gavin lifted his hand and waved, as if saying goodbye to the man he and Abigail found disorientated in the Vaults of Camelot. A few seconds later, the winds died down, Arthur's hair settled, and Merlin's clothing stopped fluttering. They were gone.

And the doors Elyan had locked behind him were blown open.

"Arthur!"

The king unsheathed his sword as Merlin came up beside him, body tense and facing front. Without even having to look, Arthur knew what would be in his friends eyes: hardened determination to protect him, blatant defiance towards the attackers, and a strong, unshakable loyalty towards Arthur.

He flashed his friend a smile. "Be careful, Merlin. We need to get you home in one piece."

A group of men rushed at them, dressed in black and waving shining swords. Battle cries rang out, and Arthur twisted his wrist -twisted his sword- as Merlin's magic suddenly flowed through the air.

"Just... don't get in over your head, yeah?" Merlin replied.

Arthur offered him a soft smile before he ran forward, lifting his sword just in time to block a mercenaries blow. Letting out a grunt, he used all his strength to push the man back, defiance rolling off of him as he ran his sword through his enemy. The man yelped with pain before going quiet, and Arthur swung his sword as another man ran at him. Abruptly, the man was thrown back, sword falling from his hand as a wave of invisible magic rushed past Arthur. The king glanced back at his friend, a grateful smile on his lips.

"What did I just say about getting in over your head?" Merlin scolded, pushing back several others and making them land on their comrades.

Arthur's lips came up into a sly grin. "Well how can I get in -" He brought up his sword, fighting back to back with Merlin, to block glinting silver. "- over my head with you around?"

The warlock felt a grin pull on his lips, and the sound wood splintering rang through the air behind them. More men rushed in through the doors they had originally entered, and Merlin's eyes darted around uncertainly before Arthur's gaze met his.

"Go ahead," he said. "I'll take this lot."

And if there hadn't been only a few men left, Merlin wouldn't have left his side, but since there was, he ran behind Arthur, pushing his hands in front of him and making several fallen mercenary's sword hover before flying towards the attacking men. He missed most of them, and for some reason he felt grateful.

"Merlin, watch it!"

He whipped around just in time to see a man running at him, axe raised towards him, and on instinct, his fist flew sideways, making the man jerk to his right and land unconscious on the floor. The warlock let out a sharp breath of relief and threw Arthur a grateful smile before turning back to the small group of men.

Merlin used his magic to pick up a sword as his own fingers curled around the hilt of another. He lifted it and braced himself just as a mercenary brought his sword down to crash into his. The blow made Merlin's arms quiver, but it wasn't enough to knock him down, and he let out a grunt as he, using both his own strength and his magic, pushed the man back, doing the same to the attacker the sword under his magic's control was fighting.

He quickly used his magic to finish off the last man, and, breathing heavily as a triumphant smile spread across his face, he turned towards Arthur just in time to see Mordred - _Where had he come from? Arthur was supposed to be safe. What had happened? How had he not known? He was supposed to protect him - _run his gleaming, blood splattered sword_ through_ Arthur's torso.

His eyes, anguished and surprised, suddenly filled with horror and shock, tears already budding against his lower lids as Arthur let out a pained breath.

"_Noooo!"_

* * *

Right... now... take a breath. The next chapter is already written and, in truth, has been written since... August. *coughs* It's the scene that really inspired this entire fic, and the chapter that is full of a bit of everything: angst, whump, bromance, BAMF. Unfortunately, though, for you guys... I'll be posting it in two weeks. :D I'm going on a two-week trip to North Carolina, and I'm going to post just before I leave. :) Promise!

See you guys later! Please review!


	15. A Living Nightmare

Disclaimer: IDOM

Okay, guys, this is the chapter you've been waiting for. _This _is the chapter that inspired this whole fic. All of it. I wrote it last August, and I'm thrilled that I finally get to post it. :D There's a ton of bromance, a ton of angst, a ton of whump, BAMF people, and I loved writing every minute of it.

I hope you like it!

Enjoy!

* * *

_._

_Well I would swim but the river is so wide_

_And I'm scared I won't make it to the other side_

_Well God knows I've failed but He knows that I've tried_

_I long for something that's safe and warm_

_But all I have is all that is gone_

_I'm as helpless and as hopeless as a feather on the Clyde_

-Passenger, 'Feather on the Clyde'

.

* * *

Everything felt so surreal to him now; nothing more than a dream, a nightmare that he was being forced to play a horrifying part in. Detached; that was the word. Merlin felt like a puppet at the end of a short string, where someone cruel and unbidding was holding the crooked sticks above him, controlling his every move, and controlled the whole charade as it played out before him, laughing mockingly from his place of safety.

He felt trapped in this hollow place, all his energy and breath and _life _leaving him at once. There was no escape; no escape from this place so full of horror, so full of terrifying visions and gruesome, horrid emotions, that Merlin was forced to play a part in. He was choked with flashing memories of his lost loved ones: Will, dying from an arrow wound protecting Arthur; Freya, dying in his arms; his father, dying before him as he tried to hide his tears; even Gaius when he'd nearly died on the Isle of the Blessed. The injustice of it all hit Merlin like a sledgehammer and tears were already collecting against Merlin's long eyelashes as he screamed with heavy despair.

"_Noooo!" _

Unknowingly, like when his father had died, his magic took control, seeping out through his raw, painful emotions, and sent Mordred flying across the room, his sword being pulled out of Arthur's torso as he kept a tight grip on the pommel. The resounding crack of skull against a hardwood floor led Merlin to believe that he was less than alive as Merlin's feet carried him to his king. He could hear tell-tale thunder in the distance.

He slid underneath his King just in time to catch his heavy, chainmailed body from falling. He slowly lowered his best friend, his bleeding friend, to the ground, moving his long fingered hands until one rested on top of the wound while the other was entangled in Arthur's greying blond hair. Arthur's eyes were shut, his features strangely calm for a man who had just been run through. Blood seeped from the wound, covering Merlin's hand before spreading out over the chainmail and eventually into Merlin's own clothing.

"No, Arthur, please." Tears were streaming down his face in earnest, clouding his vision as he sniffed. "No, please." He laid his hand flat over Arthur's wound, his hand inevitably shaking with his bony fingers splayed across the large gash in Arthur's stomach. There were no other sounds now - all the others were dead, leaving only an eerie and desolate silence

"_Purhhæle dolgbenn_," he whispered, his lips trembling. The first time he'd ever had to use that healing spell was in the Valley of the Fallen Kings when Arthur had been shot with an arrow by mercenaries... It hadn't worked then either. "No!" Merlin shouted in frustration, in desperation.

"_Licsar ge staðol nu,_" he said more forcefully. His voice broke. "_Please_." He sobbed as he saw that it had no effect; Arthur was too far gone. Tears falling in rivulets now, no stop to the waterfall of salty tears. His face flushed as he rested Arthur's head in his lap, trying to suppress another sob as it racked his body, an emptiness shooting through his heart and splitting it in half. It wasn't supposed to end this way.

He didn't even notice as Arthur's hand twitched, brushing against Merlin's knee weakly. He opened his blue eyes slightly, enough to catch sight of his weeping friend, everything rushing back to him in a motionless blur. He could feel Merlin's magic coursing through his body and knew that Merlin had tried to heal him. A strange sense of calm flooded him and all he knew was that he had to help Merlin. Merlin needed help now, not him. He needed comfort; he needed a friend.

"Hey," he croaked out, his voice heavy and crackly. "Hey... Hey, Merlin."

The latter got his attention and Merlin's tear-tracked face immediately met his. Merlin –heart leaping into his throat- immediately gathered Arthur in front of him more, placing his hand in his chest before he set Arthur's head comfortably in his lap.

"Arthur?" he sniffed. So maybe his spells had bought Arthur a little time, but how much? A few minutes? That wasn't enough time; it would never be enough time. Not ever.

Arthur blinked and a wry smile crept onto his face -God he'd missed his best friend these past years- as he regarded Merlin. He was always caring, always there, always supportive, always an... "Idiot."

Merlin looked down at him, surprised, but couldn't help the knowing grin that twitched at his lips. "You prat," he said, sniffing. His smile left his face as a wave of grief hit him full force, crashing down onto his heart with the fury of a thousand horses and making his voice break. "Please Arthur... You can't..."

"Shh," Arthur whispered. He re-opened his cerulean eyes fully to look into his friend's face. "Merlin, it's alright."

"No." Merlin shook his head for emphasis –mimicking how much the rest of his body was trembling-, new tears beading in his eyes. It wasn't alright, it would never be alright. Even if he got back to his own time, Arthur, his best friend and brother, would still have died in his arms. This memory would haunt him forever.

"Merlin," Arthur said, his voice a little stronger, "listen, all you have to do is get back to your own time... right this. Remember... remember what Kilgharrah said; if you do then this future will change, this... will never happen. I have faith in you."

"But... _Arthur_," Merlin choked, hanging his head in effort to smother his anguished moan.

Arthur knew that his time was almost up; he could feel himself slipping away. "Merlin," he tried one last time. "Merlin, listen. You," Arthur placed his hand over Merlin's with weakening strength, "you are the greatest friend I could ever have."

Merlin sobbed, his tears greater and saltier as desperation and emptiness tore through his gut.

Arthur continued. "I could never have more loyal and true hearted friend _No one_," he took in a shallow, pained breath, "no one, Merlin. And I'm sorry that I wasn't there any of the times you… needed me. You have, and always will be, my greatest friend… my _brother_. It is an _honor_ to have fought beside you. Thank you."

Merlin's nostrils flared as he took in a shaky breath, his eyes squinting through his colorless tears. Arthur's words cut straight through his heart and he felt his heart rise into his throat. "And you...," he whimpered.

The king gave him a smile, blinking as he fought to hold on. "Merlin... promise me... Promise me that you won't give up. You have so much yet to do, my friend, so many trials yet to face… with _your_ Arthur. But there is always hope; no matter how desperate the situation..., _always._" He took another breath, a feeling stirring deep in his gut. "Merlin... You have to go... It's time."

More tears fell as Merlin shook his head, crouching closer to Arthur as his hand became entangled in his greying fair hair. "No, _no, Arthur, _I won't leave you."

Arthur felt tears budding in his own eyes –though not because of his own barely existent pain, but because of Merlin, because of his heart of gold that made him so astoundingly _loyal_ and_ pure_. Oh, how he would suffer. "Merlin, please. You have to... get back to your own time."

Gazing at his friend once more, Arthur took in his pale, unblemished skin, sharp cheekbones, raven-black hair, and his brightened-by-tears multi-faceted blue eyes. Guinevere had always told him that Merlin held a delicate kind of beauty to himself, but he'd never seen it as clearly as he saw it now. He looked at Merlin with a genuine gleam of brotherly pride and love in his eyes as he took his final breath and closed his eyes for the last time. "Goodbye... old friend. Thank you."

Merlin closed his eyes, liquid beading on his eyelash before caressing his cheek as it tumbled to his chin. His heart was in shreds as he gave up all pretenses and wept openly, clutching Arthur's body to his own like he had in Freya's final moments. Sobs wracked his body as he rocked on his knees, quiet desolation overtaking him. _"No!"_ Merlin whimpered, "please... no... not him."

_Not him._

He drew in shaky breaths as he grieved, his breath catching in his throat each time a pained wail escaped. This was so much worse than anything he'd ever experienced. This was worse than his childhood friend's death, his guardian's near death, his father's death, _and_ his first love's death.

This was the proverbial coin breaking in two.

It was worse than dying itself. Death brought silence, peace, serenity. This... this was desolation, emptiness, utter devastation. Merlin felt a lone bareness to his heart, a hollowness that -even if he got back to his own time, to his own Arthur- could never be filled. Ever. This was so wrong.

So very wrong.

He cradled Arthur's body to his own for a few more minutes as he wept, wracked by sobs with his tears soaking into the blonde's hair as they fell from his flushed face. Why did death always take his loved ones? Why was he always left behind to carry the burden? Life was cruel in that regards.

Mordred was supposed to have been Arthur's doom; his downfall... and he had been. Merlin could see destiny unraveling and showing its true colors. This was always how it was supposed to have been, how it would have always been. He was meant to have traveled through time, meant to have been reunited with his friends, and was meant to be there when Morgana and Mordred attacked Camelot. And he was meant to be there when Arthur met his bane.

But it was so unfair! Destiny had taken his brother in the cruelest of ways. Merlin whimpered again as he came to several realizations each one shooting yet another poisoned arrow in his already broken heart: Guinevere was now a widow... Abigail and Rowan... fatherless... A kingdom without a King... Knights without a leader... The citizens would be without hope because their Once and Future King lay dead in Merlin's trembling arms.

He needed to fix this.

Slowly, Merlin reigned in his emotions, knowing that they wouldn't help and that Arthur was right; he had to get back to his own time if he wanted to fix this. It was the only way that Arthur would survive. The only way that Merlin could see him alive again. Arthur was right; he had to go.

With shaking hands, he lifted Arthur's head minutely and lowered his own, kissing Arthur's golden brow before resting it back onto the floor. He squeezed Arthur's blonde hair one last time, slowly gathering one knee underneath him and one before him as he kneeled in a final gesture of respect.

"Goodbye, Arthur," Merlin whispered, his pain leeching out through his voice despite himself. In remembrance of Arthur's words, he brokenly tacked on, "I promise," before standing.

Taking a deep breath through his nose, he looked at his king once more, his lips showing only a tell-tale sign of trembling regardless of his flushed face and tear-tracks. Arthur looked peaceful in his eternal sleep, his handsome face finally free of tension and strife. The only thing that betrayed him was the blood spread on his chainmail and the metallic tang that tainted the thick air. Murmuring a quick spell, Merlin cleared the metal of the crimson liquid, making it look newly polished instead and cleared the air pungent smell; it was the least he could do.

With one last sniffle, he turned away, head held high. Arthur's death would not be in vain - he would get back to his time. Or die trying.

Merlin started walking and soon found himself opening the door, still feeling detached from the situation. He peeked out the hallway, not looking back knowing it would only cause him to stay. The hallway was clear still so that meant the attackers hadn't yet taken the citadel. There was still time.

He skirted out the door and closed it quietly behind him, a lump on his throat as he said his final goodbye. He closed his eyes in respect for a moment, his hands behind him and clutching the latch on the door so tightly he knew his hand was white from the pressure as he tried to reign in his raging emotions. Taking one more breath, he got his feet moving and crept down the strangely empty corridor. Merlin reasoned that everyone must still be fighting over the lower town. Mordred's forward party had accomplished its goal, so why send any more men?

His neckerchief bobbed against his chest as he quietly jogged down the familiar yet blurry hallway. He turned the corner sharply, making the torch on his left flicker with the sudden rush of wind. Haunting images played over and over in Merlin's mind's eye; Mordred's sword plunging into Arthur's gut, the blade slicing through Arthur's heart the same it had his fathers', and then Arthur falling… and falling.

Merlin's lips quivered dangerously, and he choked on a sob. His hands clenched tighter as they swept through the air. He turned another corner and rushed down the circular stairway, the candles on the little pockets in the wall giving off a golden glow to light his way. His foot touched compacted soil and he turned right, grabbing torch off the wall.

Seeing the wrought iron gate a few feet ahead of him, he flicked his wrist –eyes flashing gold- as he slowed his steps until he was speed walking. The gate swung open of its own accord and he, swallowing heavily, walked through with what would be his final steps in this world.

Snaking through the Vaults, the now completely opened passageway to that special room came into view and Merlin set the torch into its holder against the wall. He turned again and took one step forward before the ceiling came crashing down on him.

Rocks and sediment rained down on him, barraging his head and, as he collapsed, his back. He let out a sharp cry of pain and surprise, coughing as he breathed in the cloud of dust, and curling in on himself instinctively as the rock fall slowed.

His head throbbed, his ribs ached, and he was sure he would be a sight to anyone looking at him with his body covered in dust. He fingered his side and with a trained physicians mind, and knew that at least two of his ribs were broken. Merlin's current predicament only added to his despair and he bit his lip as he let out a pained grunt.

He shakily struggled to his feet just as a voice spat the words, "So you really are back." Merlin's head snapped up and his hands paused just as he tried to wipe the dust from his eyes.

"I'd heard rumors."

Morgana stood a few yards in front of him, her eyes still echoing gold from when she'd brought the ceiling crashing down on Merlin. She wore more regal clothing than the last time he's seen her in those woods –which felt like oh so long ago- when his secret had been revealed. The dark colors of her outfit still accented her curves and her pale face brought out those astonishingly light green eyes that pierced straight into Merlin with her glare. The top section of her black -streaked silver- hair was gathered behind her head and her high cheekbones more gaunt than he'd ever seen them, somehow more strict and threatening.

"Morgana." His voice was rough and he fought the urge to wheeze from dust inhalation.

Her pale lips flinched with something of a cruel smirk before she sneered again. "Emrys."

A pause, silence encompassing them both and even the scurrying mice seemed to still, waiting for what was to come.

"He's dead, isn't he?" Her voice echoed around the stone walls.

Merlin's nostrils flared as he tensed further, memories flashing his mind. "How did you know?"

Morgana almost looked pained. "I felt it. Just as I felt Uther's." And abruptly, her face filled with cold fury again as her hands clenched. "And Mordred. You killed Mordred!"

"He killed Arthur," Merlin shot back defensively. He snaked his hand around his ribs, his shouting upsetting his new wounds. "_Arthur_…," his voice broke despite himself as he tilted his head sideways, fresh tears budding. He felt so vulnerable. "Arthur is dead because of him."

"Then it's how it should be," Morgana said, her voice –though still cold and calculating- held the slightest bit of approval that clawed at Merlin's heart. "Mordred fulfilled his destiny. And now I can take my rightful place as Camelot's queen."

Merlin's fury bubbled within his chest as he shouted, "Don't you even care that your own brother is _dead?_"

Morgana's eyes narrowed and a small, triumphant smile quirked her lips. "He was merely a pawn in a game. A game, in which it seems, that _I've_ won."

Merlin was almost shaking with anger now even as a tear rolled down his face, clearing a lone path through the dust. "Arthur was no _pawn,_ Morgana. He was my _friend!_ He was my _brother! _He was _your_ brother!"

Morgana's mask might have slipped a little before she erected it again.

"What happened to you, Morgana? We used to be friends, and the Morgana I knew would have never allowed this to happen. She would have fought with all her being to keep Arthur safe. She wouldn't have plotted his dead. She wouldn't-."

"That Morgana is gone," she spat. "She died the moment you _poisoned_ me, Merlin. _This_ is who I am now! _This_ is who I was meant to be!"

"And are you proud of yourself?" Those quiet words, almost as whisper, cut through Morgana more than any shout would have.

Her mask finally did chip and a look in-between sadness and remorse hinted at her features as she lifted her chin and repeated, "This is who I was meant to be."

"It doesn't have to be this way."

Both of them replayed the first time Merlin had ever said those words. It had been only a few days after Morgana's return from missing from a year. They'd had the same conversation when Morgana had first tried –wholly- to raze Camelot to the ground, and she replied the same now.

"You're wrong," she sneered, just as she had then.

Merlin shook his head, daringly taking a step forward. "You don't have to do this. This, Morgana, is your _choice_."

"Maybe," Morgana uttered, "but in the end, I still win."

"Is that all you care about?" Merlin questioned, his voice rough, "Winning?"

"We're all pawns in a game, Emrys, and Destiny herself is the player. You of all people should understand that by now."

Merlin's anger rose closer to the surface and his magic itched to be released. "I am _not_ a _pawn,_ Morgana! No one is a _pawn_. Not me, not Arthur, Guinevere, Gwaine. _No one!_ There are no players, no prizes, _no_ rewards. There are only _real_ people, with_ real_ lives."

Morgana laughed humorlessly, venomous eyes glaring into Merlin's haunted ones. "You really are so naïve, Merlin. It's unbelievable, how a person who holds so much _unbelievable_ power -someone who could _turn the tides_ and holds the balance of thousands of lives in the palm of their hands- can only see the world through narrowed eyes."

Why did everyone always have to bring up his magic? Why couldn't he just be himself? But was it really that –the fact that Morgana seemed to only think of Merlin's magic and not see him as a person in himself, or because she so callously dismissed her brother's death, the way that her voice almost relished the news - that made cold fury flow through him? The warlock decided that it was defiantly the ladder and Merlin's arm finally rose, his despair now turned into rage as he yelled, _"Astrice!"_

A ball of fire flew past Morgana's head, crashing into the wall behind her and making it explode in a fiery outburst. It was only then that Merlin remembered Gaius words about using magic in the Vaults, about unsettling some of the magical objects around him, but he couldn't find it in himself to feel regret for what he'd done.

"So you want to play that game?" Morgana smiled outright now as she complied. She raised her hand, and her eyes flashed gold before her right hand, fisted, swept sideways, throwing Merlin sideways into the wall and stealing his breath away.

"You know, I think it's only by sheer luck that you've survived as long as you have," Morgana said, taking several steps forward while her hips swished.

Merlin raised his pounding head and trained his pain-filled eyes on a torch about a foot in front of Morgana. He tried to breathe as deeply as his broken ribs would allow and whispered, _"Forbearnan," _through clenched teeth.

The flames immediately turned more violent and Morgana squealed and jumped back as fire shot across her pathway. Merlin heard her yell her own spell and quickly rolled out of the way as a ball of fire crashed into the wall he'd been thrown into, making it explode and even more rocks and dust rained down on Merlin.

A dust cloud filled the hallway, the fire from the torch making it glow somewhere between orange, gold, and brown. Merlin couldn't see Morgana but he could hear her coughing as he did the same. What he wouldn't give for some water right now.

"You should give up while you can, Merlin, I won."

Merlin could see her as a faint shadow through the thick dust. "No, you haven't, Morgana."

Morgana stepped closer. "Oh? I've had twelve years to practice my magic, Merlin." She coughed again. "You may be Emrys, but your magic is still immature, untrained."

There was a brighter glow around Morgana's hand and Merlin threw himself to the side just as yet another fire ball crashed near him, this one singeing his clothes in its near-hit.

"I'm giving you one last chance to surrender, Merlin," she offered, and even though not able to see her face, Merlin could hear the sick triumphant sound in her voice. "Arthur's dead and your magic can't protect the rest of them forever. Soon they'll all be dead, and you'll be alone."

Merlin shook with despair and rage and fear and every other controversial emotion one in shock could ever feel. He could hear Gaius' voice in his head, teaching him how to treat someone who's in shock; lift their head a few inches off the ground, let them rest, give them a blanket, it helps. Well, he hardly had any of those luxuries right now, did he?

"But if you surrender, you won't have to go through that. I'll let them live. No one else has to die, Merlin. But it's your _choice,_ of course."

He could already feel doubt stirring within him. Doubt, desperation, despair. What did anything matter anymore? His king was dead, and as Morgana said, the rest of his friends would be. And he would be alone.

Merlin sensed Morgana slinking closer and closer towards him, one step at a time before Arthur's words rang through him: _'never give up hope.'_ How could Merlin break his last promise to his king? If he could just get back to his own time, everything would be how it was supposed to be -with Arthur alive, with all of his friends _safe._

With a new sense of determination and fighting spirit, Merlin climbed to his feet. "You're right, Morgana," he said roughly. He could almost feel her narrowing her eyes curiously. "No one else had to die… but that doesn't mean I'm surrendering."

He took a few steps backwards until he could feel the cold dirt-stone walls against his equally cold hands. Glancing to his right, he could see the opening for the 'time room', as Gwaine had coined it, and slowly crept towards the dark shadow.

Morgana let out a scream of fury. "Where are you, Emrys? If you won't surrender, then _face me_."

Several more fire balls were thrown, but Morgana's aim was severely off and she hit the wall a few feet on Merlin's left, too high, and too low. Merlin resisted the urge to cough in fear of giving away his position.

He quickly slipped into the opening and inevitably wheezed against his will, clutching at his chest as he choked on the moldy earth which only upsetted his throbbing ribs even more and made him stumble into the room. He crashed onto his knees once inside the room and squeezed his eyes shut against a wave of pain originating from his ribs and aching lungs.

Merlin could hear Morgana scream again and, knowing she'd found his position, hastily turned around and stuck out his hand, allowing his eyes to glow a molten gold in the bleak twilight and bringing down the wall behind him, completely cutting himself off from Morgana. He coughed into his hand and stumbled, once again, to his feet until he was in the center of the room.

Reviewing what to do, he half-stood, half-slouched in the center of the circular design on the floor and flashed his eyes a dazzling flaxen again, pushing his power outwards and into the room like he had last time, though now consciously doing it.

Before he knew it, the ground was glowing a bright blue, shaking and spinning and soon the ear piercing scream of the layers grinding together filled the air and Merlin covered his ears. His feet shook and it took so much more effort to remain on his feet. Bright light began pulsing from the floor, and soon enough Merlin was gritting his teeth in pain from the light as it passed through his body, upsetting his ribs and countless bruises further than Merlin ever thought possible. He was driven to his knees as the whirlwind started, and he leaned forward, hugging his middle as his breathing hitched and letting out a small, breathless cry, the warlock's vision slowly ebbing away.

All of a sudden, Merlin felt himself tumble forward and slump against the floor, losing consciousness as a black cloud filled his mind, and silence conquered everything. His pain slowly ebbed away, and all Merlin felt was an icy numbness creeping through his body as he lost consciousness.

* * *

Like I said, I loved writing it. ;) This was, I think, the first death scene I had ever written or even dared to write, and I think it turned out pretty well. Please leave a review 'cause I'd love to hear what you thought of it!

Goodnight, all! :D


	16. After the Slow Shock

Disclaimer: IDOM

So I've learned that I'm not absolutely terrified of flying by myself, and that flying through a thunderstorm is both amazing and frightening. How I found that out? Well, on my plane ride back to Illinois from, the plane arrived in North Carolina two hours late because of thunderstorms over Chicago, and when I finally boarded, we flew up to Ohio (not in the flight plan, I don't think) because it wasn't safe to land, and then cut across Indiana and were forced to land in Fort Wayne to refuel and wait out the storm. That took about half an hour and then we still had to fly through the storm to get to Chicago. Guys, flying over Lake Michigan when lightening is streaking through the sky and you can't see anything other than dark clouds and a black lake beneath you is freaky. Thank goodness there wasn't any thunder because, even though I know that thunder can't hurt me, the physiological effects would have been bad... for everyone :P Anyway, my two hour flight turned into a five hour flight, and it was all weird but very interesting. But I'm home now! Safe and sound. :)

I'm sure you guys enjoyed my story of why I couldn't update Tuesday, and I was just too lazy to do the final read through yesterday or earlier today. But anyway, here you go! The suspense of what happens next is over... for now. ;)

Oh, and there's an announcement at the bottom. :)

* * *

_ After the silence. After the last words._

_Caught in the silence. Caught in between._

_After the madness. After the slow shock._

_Before the wave hits, the flood comes rushing in._

_._

_This is the bad before the worse._

_This is the storm before the storm._

_And I haven't even hit the bottom of this ocean floor._

_This is the bend before the break._

_This is the mercy not the grace._

_This is the proof and not the faith I try to find._

_There shouldn't be a good in goodbye._

_._

-Jason Walker, 'Shouldn't Be Good in Goodbye'_  
_

* * *

Arthur's hand fumbled for the right key, wishing he could just rip the unneeded keys off the iron ring and chuck them at the ground to find the right key. He _needed_ the right key. Who knows what could be happening? Even more questions pulsed through his mind: what _had_ happened? Where was Merlin? Was he alright? Because Arthur would _kill_ him if he was dead.

Why in the world had he locked the door in the first place? There were guards at the front entrance, and besides that, _Merlin_ –for heaven's sake- was in there, and despite what Arthur always joked around about, Merlin wasn't completely useless. He'd easily be able to protect the Vaults from any intruders that tried to steal something. What had been the _point_ in locking the door?

Finally, after what seemed like ages, he found the right key, the others clinking together at the bottom of the loop as he tried to shove the key into the lock. His heart was hammering with near-panic in his chest, causing him to miss the lock several times and he could sense Gwaine's own impatience as the man stood behind him, goading him to hurry up.

The echo of the wrought iron door unlocking resounded through the area, making Arthur catch his breath in relief as he rushed in, not even bothering to take the key out of the lock. Arthur's feet pounded against the dirt floor, arms pumping and chest heaving as his fear-filled mind focused only on one thing, forgetting about everything else. Gwaine's own muffled footfalls caught his ear as he skidded to a stop at the last place he'd seen Merlin.

_Where is he?_

At that moment, when his senses were supercharged in his worried desperation and his eyes were focusing on every detail, he thanked the gods for his hunting skills and thanked his father for all the times he'd taken him hunting as a child, sharpening, refining, and polishing his skills, for he saw the imprint of Merlin's boot, barely noticeable, in the thin layer of sand that coated the stone floor. And _there_, where the dust on the wall had been unsettled, where Merlin's cloak had brushed against it, there was a hint.

The heavy footfalls of their boots echoed in the Vaults, sending up short clouds of dust that followed in their tracks. But it wasn't just their steps that filled the corridor, another pair of boots joined in, coming from the opposite direction. On impulse, Arthur grabbed Gwaine's sleeve and quickly stopped him from turning the next corner.

Now that they were stopped, they could better make out the sounds of the other person; running –well, stumbling, fast-paced walking-, labored breathing, and Arthur could tell by a slapping sound every so often that they were putting their hand along the wall for support.

But even injured, Arthur would recognize his footsteps, the way he walked: _Merlin._

Seeing the same light of recognition in Gwaine's eyes, they both rushed out of their hiding places, turning the last corner… And were stopped in their tracks by the horrifying sight that met them.

Merlin's clothes –his whole _body-_ were covered in dust and grime, random splotches of red circles –_blood_- poking out and soaking into his clothing. Red crimson trailed down his temple and down along his high cheekbone. He was limping badly with one hand tentatively splayed along the wall for support while the other was drawn across his lithe waist. Pain was etched into his face, edified only by the heavy tear tracks that ran down his too-pale skin. But it was his eyes that were the worst. As their eyes met, ocean blue on beryl, Arthur could see the deep agony the man was going through, the desperation, the loss, the dark bleakness taking place where there had once been life and hope.

"Merlin?!" He could hear the own fear in his voice.

"Arthur!"

And as if seeing him had given him newfound strength –it _had_- Merlin ran to him, but that sudden rush of adrenaline didn't last very long and Merlin, hugging his middle tighter and wheezing, found himself falling towards the floor.

Arthur quickly ran forward, twisting his arm around his best friend's back and lowering him towards the ground gently -though never letting him settle there completely- as Merlin breathed heavily through his mouth, eyes fluttering and wincing in pain.

"Merlin?"

And then Merlin was curled into his chest, face hidden as he sobbed, but Arthur knew it wasn't because of the physical pain. Alright, maybe there was a little there, but Merlin had been injured plenty of times and from those countless injuries. No, this wasn't physical, this was emotional; the pain of loss. The king tried to pull back but Merlin's hands only tightened their twisted hold on his tunic, not willing to let go as his sobs increased.

Gwaine knelt beside him, not disturbing them, but Arthur could see the fury in his eyes - fury at whatever had happened that had made their friend like this. And then, like wildfire, it spread to Arthur's own blue eyes, hardening them like steel until he cooled the fire, knowing anger wouldn't get them anywhere now.

Cautiously, he settled his hand on the nape of Merlin's neck, the other on his furthest arm and pulled him back just a little; close enough so that Arthur was still inches from him, but far enough so that Arthur could see his face.

"Merlin…?"

The young warlock took a breath and curled in on himself ever-so-slightly as if it pained him to breath. His brilliant, water-filled cerulean eyes met Arthur's, and the king was once again startled by the barrage of emotions there. His breath caught in his throat.

Merlin wheezed. "A-Arthur… I'm so sorry... I couldn't-" He stopped speaking, his sobs changing to a labored coughing fit.

"We have to get him to Gaius," Gwaine stated seriously.

Arthur's worried eyes flashed between Gwaine and the shaking man in his arms. "I know, but we can't move him like this."

Arthur hugged Merlin closer to him until his coughing stopped and the crying resumed. But this time, Arthur didn't even try to stop him or ask him questions. He knew from many late nights as a child with Gaius, that sometimes it's better to not say anything at all, just _be there._

And a few moments later, as if a godsend, Merlin gradually grew limp in Arthur's arms, unconscious. Arthur tilted his head back, a silent prayer thanksgiving that Merlin's suffering, if only temporarily, was over. The king carefully tilted Merlin's body away from his, satisfied to see the man's face emotionless in sleep and eyes closed, and while Arthur's heart melted at the newest clean streaks on his brothers face, made by the fresh tears that still lingered on the man's long eyelashes, Arthur couldn't help but be grateful that they could now move him without causing him any _more_ pain than Arthur already knew he was in.

Gwaine automatically stepped around, on Merlin's other side, and helped Arthur reposition him in his arms until they were both standing, and Merlin was lying unconscious in Arthur's strong arms. The boy, though unconscious, still seemed aware of Arthur's presence, and his hand fisted the material of Arthur's shirt in his hand, letting out a small noise of pain.

"I'm sorry, Merlin," Arthur offered pitifully, following Gwaine's lead out of the Vaults.

The knight's eyes flickered back to them, lips set in a thin line. "What could have happened...?"

Arthur looked up towards Gwaine, shaking his head sadly, because he truly didn't know. Merlin... Merlin had always been strong, stronger than Arthur, and to have him break down like this, to have him _broken_... What could have happened?

Frankly, the idea frightened Arthur more than he could say.

But... he found a little spark of happiness that he was there for Merlin. Even if it was only for a short time. There had been too many times when Merlin had gone through something alone -things that, Arthur was sure, made him break down and cry, even if it didn't show through his brave, disarming smile- and didn't have anyone there for him. And that was tragic.

* * *

"Gwen, could you hand me that bottle?"

The queen knelt down, gently picking up a glass vial that had rolled off the table during the quake. Thankfully, it hadn't broken. Her fingers curled around it, the violet liquid within swooshing around and threatening to push the cork out.

She set it on the table, eyeing Gaius compassionately. "Gaius, I'm sure he's alright. Merlin probably just upset some medallion that triggers earth... quakes. Or something."

"Or something, indeed. That was no ordinary quake, Gwen. It was strong magic. Strong enough that even I felt it."

The expression on Gwen's face changed as Gaius spoke. First, she was trying to be encouraging, but she grew more and more worried, unsure. "But what...?"

"I don't know. That's what I'm afraid of."

Guinevere leaned down to pick up another jar just as the door to Gaius' chambers was thrown open, Gwaine shouting, "Gaius!" Her fingers wrapped around the vial, and as she picked it up, she turned, and abruptly dropped it, glass shattering on Gaius' stone floor as Gwen's hands flew to her mouth to smother her squeal of surprise.

"Merlin!" Gaius yelled rushing towards his ward's side. "What happened?"

Arthur walked past him and towards the patient's bed, carefully setting Merlin onto the cream sheets and making sure he would be comfortable as the others gathered behind him. "We don't know. We just found him in the Vaults."

Gaius settled on Merlin's other side, taking in the dark bruises on his skin, the paleness of his flesh, and the dried blood spots that originated from countless cuts and scrapes all over the visible part of his body - every part that wasn't too layered it dust and grime.

"How...?" Gwen started, cutting herself off as she bit her knuckle, uncertain.

"Gaius, just please tell me he'll be alright."

The physician glanced at Arthur, face pensive and worried, before gazing one more at his ward, whose body was so still that Gaius couldn't thought he was dead except for the small rise and fall of his chest. "I won't know anything until I can tell the full extent of his injuries, sire."

Arthur took a deep breath, calming himself as Gwen's shoulder brushed his. "Alright, fine, keep me informed on his condition." Gaius nodded, using his fingers to check Merlin's pulse. "I'm going to... I'll be in my chambers." He glanced down at Merlin once more, pain hinting in his eyes before be turned, heading towards the door with his fist clenched at his side. Guinevere glanced at Gwaine, Gaius, and Merlin before biting her lip and Gaius, understanding, nodded at her, Gwaine doing the same before she ran to follow Arthur.

Gaius fiddled with Merlin's clothing, untying the kerchief around his neck. "He's worried."

The knight glanced up from his silent musings and bobbed his head. "I know."

"Can you get his boots off? Arthur has good reason to be, too. Merlin looks... Are you sure you don't know what happened? A hint, or anything?"

"Nothing," Gwaine answered. "He just... something happened, Gaius, and he..."

Gaius paused. "What?"

Almost ashamed to look at him, Gwaine focused only on his task of undoing the ties Merlin's boots. "After the quake, Arthur came running down the front steps. I stopped to ask him what had happened, and all he said was 'Merlin.' I ran after him down into the Vaults. Arthur knew where he'd been, but then we had to go looking for him, and we just..." The knight swallowed thickly. "He found us, really, and he was crying, Gaius, almost hysterically. I couldn't - I don't know."

Gaius swallowed, processing the information as he folded Merlin's neckerchief and laid it beside him. "I'm afraid we'll just have to wait until he wakes up to find out. If he's willing to tell us."

This time, Gwaine did look at him. "What do you mean?"

"Well you know Merlin; he doesn't share his problems. He doesn't want to burden anyone or have anyone worrying about him. He's too kind hearted."

The physician paused, and Gwaine glanced up at him, setting Merlin's boots at the foot of the bed. "Gaius?"

As if coming out of a trance, Gaius head rose to meet his. "It is up to him whether he wants to tell us, Gwaine. And I don't know. If things are as serious as you described..."

"Surely he'd tell us if something had happened."

"It's Merlin," was his only answer.

* * *

It felt much like he was cushioned between two pillows. Or flying. Or drifting. Everything was light, as weightless as a feather and twice as soft. Light filtered through his eyelids, and Merlin felt his breathing restricted by something around his torso. There... it wasn't numbness, but it wasn't comfort, either. Drugs. That was it. Gaius' sleeping drugs.

Voices, slow and quiet, floated somewhere above him, sounding far off and muffled.

"How is he doing?"

Arthur.

Something akin to panic shot through the warlock, but he couldn't pinpoint why. Something had happened...

"I'm not sure, sire."

"What of his injuries?"

Injuries? What?

"He has three broken ribs, his left wrist was fractured, and he has a concussion." A weary sigh from Gaius. "There are... bruises scattered all over his body. His breathing is uneven thanks to his ribs, but his pulse is strong. He should be alright, but it might help if I knew what he had been doing." His voice, tired and worn, turned slightly inquiring towards the end.

"I don't know, Gaius. I'm sorry. We just..."

"Found him like this, I know, Arthur. It's alright. I'm just worried about him."

Another sigh. "We all are, truth be told."

Darkness flickered in his vision, and a sudden warmth flowed through his body as someone used their hand - it had to be Arthur because Gaius' hands were rougher - to brush the ebony hair back from his face. Merlin let out a long breath and felt himself relax once more.

Gaius chuckled. "It's no secret that you care for him, Arthur"

Arthur brushed his hand through Merlin's hair again, finding comfort through the connection. "I know."

Dark clouds seemed to cover the light before him, and slowly, Merlin drifted further and further from the fading voices. The king said something else, but Merlin missed it, gently being lulled to sleep as Arthur ran his hand along his hair again. Almost like his mother used to after he'd had a nightmare.

Is that what had happened? Had he had a nightmare? But what about his... injuries?

"He does know, Arthur, truly. Look at everything you've done for him."

"Yes, and look what happened afterwards."

"This isn't your fault. Neither of us even _know_ what happened, sire."

Arthur's hand slowed, fingers curling around the warlock's dark locks, and Merlin was slowly pushed beneath a black veil again.

* * *

"Arthur?"

The king turned around and took the cup from his lips, setting it down on the bench as he turned. Narrowing his eyes, he saw Leon sting before him, almost silhouetted by the bright sunlight. "Yes, Leon?"

The knight pursed his lips, and Arthur saw a trace of hesitance in his face. Of course, by that, Arthur knew what it was about. Merlin. It had only been yesterday that they'd found him, afterall. And of course, everyone was worried. Why should the knights, whom Merlin was very close with, be any different?

"I heard what happened to Merlin," he said soberly. "I trust he'll be alright? I haven't had a chance to stop in."

Arthur nodded, lips tight with thought, and eyes narrowed against the sun. He rested his hand on the pommel of the sword at his hip, gloved fingers fiddling with the leather of his sheath. "Yes, he'll be fine. It wasn't as bad as the rumors will lead you to believe."

Leon smiled with relief. "Is there anything I can do?"

"I'm afraid not," Arthur smirked. "Gaius says all he needs it rest, and he'll be better in a few days."

Something changed in Leon's face. "That's good news."

"Yes, it is."

"So why do you look like you've just killed his favorite pet?"

Arthur felt a genuine smirk pull on his lips, and he looked down at his feet. Of course Leon would see past his mask. He'd grown up with him, and he was the only one, besides Merlin and Gaius, who always seemed to know exactly what he was thinking.

"Everything that happened," he started, licking his lips.

Leon's eyes widened a fraction, and his eyebrows rose. "Wasn't your fault, Arthur. Of that I'm sure."

"But..." And guilt stirred in him. "I left him in the Vaults alone, and I shouldn't have. If I had been there -"

"Being there doesn't mean you could have changed things."

"You don't know that."

"No," Leon said with a tight-lipped smile on his face, "but are you completely sure that if you _had_ been there, it would have been different?"

Arthur compressed his lips and looked at the ground again. He wasn't sure what to think. He had to get that Crystal out of the Vaults, even if was only for a short time, but he shouldn't have left Merlin alone. He knew what was in the dungeons, the dangerous things in there; that was why they were placed in the Vaults in the first place. And he had just left Merlin to his own devices.

But maybe, like Leon said, there was nothing he could do. Arthur knew that Gaius agreed with him. Gwen agreed with him. Gwaine... was still largely undecided. But hearing it from another person might have lifted the guilt ever so slightly. If Leon thought there was nothing he could have done and two other people, both of whom were close to Merlin and himself, said that there was nothing to be done... Then maybe there really wasn't.

"I don't know." And maybe that was best. He bobbed his head ever so slightly, glancing up at his friend. "Thank you."

* * *

_Despair ran through him as blood pooled around his hand, crimson staining this lithe fingers as he applied pressure to the wound. His eyes darted around restlessly, panic flowing through him like water down a thundering waterfall. The only noise he was aware of was the blood pulsing through his own veins and pounding against his temples with a rhythmic beat. Darkness surrounded all of two figures: himself, and a body before him. A body whose blood Merlin's hands were soaked in. _

_ "Arthur," he yelled. Arthur. Why -no! Not Arthur. His voice called again, disembodied. "Listen to me, you have to stay awake. Please, for the love of Albion, stay awake, you prat!"_

_ But the blood wouldn't stop; it kept oozing over Merlin's hands and through the gauze until even that was as opaque as the blood. _

_ "Merlin..." Arthur' whispered, and though Merlin couldn't see his face, he could hear the pain in the king's voice. _

_ "No, please, you can't - Arthur!" _

_ "Why did you kill me, Merlin?" _

_ The warlock whipped around, eyes watered as they focused on Arthur, who now stood roughly ten feet from him. Merlin's head snapped back to the body before him, only to find that it was gone, and a pool of shining blood remained behind. Turning back to the man behind him, Merlin whispered, "Arthur?", his voice echoing softly through the vacant expanse. _

_ And it was him, dressed in his chainmail and armor but without his cape. His skin was too pale, like a man who's been sick for a long time - like man who just died. His haunted blue eyes were fixed on Merlin's face, jaw squared and hair falling around his forehead. His arms lay limply at his sides, and Merlin saw Excalibur fastened in her sheath at his side. Moonlight gathered around him, glinting off his armor as darkness pressed round a set circle of light. _

_ "Why did you kill me, Merlin?" _

_ Merlin, dumbstruck, turned on his knees towards his king, his eyes wide against his own, larger, gathering of light. "I didn't, Arthur. I swear! It was Mordred, and I tried -"_

_ "You always try, but you always fail, don't you, Merlin? You couldn't heal me; my death is on your hands_."

_ His words were emotionless, but they cut through Merlin like a hot blade, tearing through his insides and burning them. "No, Arthur, please! It wasn't my fau -" _

_ "You could have stopped him. You should have stopped him. You were supposed to protect me," Arthur droned on. Now, he almost sounded lost. "You were meant to protect me. Why didn't you protect me?" _

_ "I tried! I tried! Please, listen to me!" _

_ "Why should I listen to an impotent sorcerer?" he spat. His anger was gone as fast as it had come, more lost desolation filling his voice. "Maybe my father was right. If you can't save me, what good are you? How are you supposed to help me fulfill my destiny if you're worthless?" _

_ "No, listen!" _

_ "Liar. Betrayer. Warlock. Sorcerer." _

"Merlin!"

_ "Please!" _

_ "Powerless. Coward. Useless." _

"Merlin!"

The warlock flinched away from his dark nightmare, torso jerking up until hurt shot through him from his middle, and he let out a pained cry, eyes finally opening.

"Merlin, it's alright, I've got you."

Mind still not registering correctly, the warlock squirmed in the person's hold, grabbing their clothing in fists as they wrapped their arms around him tightly. Tears streamed from his glazed eyes, pain radiating through his body as he finally hugged the person before him. Long brown hair brushed his face, and he buried his face in the locks as his mind slowly comprehended the situation. Guinevere. It was Gwen. It was only Gwen.

"It's okay, Merlin, it was just a nightmare," she soothed, running her hand along the base of his scalp.

She muttered more reassurances in his ear as he cried softly, but even that became too much for him as the hollowness and he felt overtook him, and he blurted, "Arthur's dead."

Gwen paused and pulled back, keeping her hands on his arms as her face filled with confusion and alarm. "Arthur's fine, Merlin. I promise. It was only a nightmare."

"No," he shook his head despairingly. "No. He's d-dead, and it's my fault. All my fault. I couldn't save him. I t-tried, and I - I -"

The queen enveloped him in a hug again, moving closer to comfort him as his desperate mutterings stopped, and he broke down crying again. She rubbed small circles in his back, mindful of his injuries as her other hand caressed the back of his head. His body shook, and his strong arms loosened as the minutes dragged on, as he wore out. A few minutes later, and his tears were stopped, eyes still glossed and hazy, and he sniffed, body still trembling.

Guinevere pulled back, resting her hands at the crooks of his elbows as she looked at him with compassion. "Merlin...?" His tired eyes raised to meet hers, and she felt a small amount of hope flare in her chest. "Please... what happened in the Vaults?"

There was a moment of complete silence, so long that Gwen thought he wouldn't speak, but when he took in a shallow, rugged breath, gathered her small hands in his, and opened his mouth, he couldn't find it in him to stop himself.

And he told her.

He told her everything.

* * *

Now, if I could tell you what happens next... I wouldn't. And I can... but I won't. :D Why? Because, sorry, but there's only one chapter left, and I don't want to give it away. ;) I'm tying in the epilogue with the next chapter (cause both are fairly short), so yes. Sorry again. :) It feels so weird to be closing my second major story. Huh...

Anyway, _announcement_: I've published a story called "Camelot" under the penname 'sleepingthroughthestorms' here on FF, and I'd love you all even more if you went and poked it with a stick. :D And I say that, in the words of the Doctor, because it's a Doctor Who/Arthurian Legend crossover fic with my own original rendition of Arthurian legend. Whoop! Whoop! Please go check it out, and I hope you like it! :D

Okay, now that that's out of the way, I still have to write the epilogue, but I can probably have it written around this time next week...? At least I'll try. :)

Thanks, and please review.


	17. A Touch of Grace

So, guys, this is the last chapter. I'm kinda torn between 'Oh, this has taken so longggg' and 'Wow, I just started this story.' Yep. ;) But anyways, I really hope you like this last chapter. Oh, and by the way, the song I'm referencing is fantastic. Just... ignore the 'baby' bits, and translate everything to bromance. When you parallel it with Merlin and Arthur's circumstances, what they're going (or have gone) through, like the reveal, it's so perfect. :)

And I've put the epilogue in with this chapter, by the way, because I thought that either, alone, would be pathetically short compared to the other chapters I've posted. :P

Anyway, enough rambling. Enjoy. :)

* * *

_Change the colors of the sky._  
_And open up to_  
_In ways you made me feel alive,_  
_In ways I loved you._  
_For all the things that never died,_  
_To make it through the night,_  
_Love will find you._

_._

_The sun is breaking in your eyes_  
_To start a new day._  
_This broken heart can still survive_  
_With a touch of your grace._  
_Shadows fade into the light._  
_I am by your side,_  
_Where love will find you_

-Daughtry, 'What About Now'

* * *

Lights burned in their candelabras, candle light flickering and throwing dark, obscure shadows against the wall and floor. A fire burned in the hearth, wood crackling as the tangerine flames licked and spat. Outside, a large moon dangled above the lower town, and the king of Camelot watched as several servants, cloaks trailing behind them, skittered across the blue shaded courtyard and towards their homes.

Arthur twisted his wrist, fisting his hand as he tried to work out the soreness in the joint. Gaius had told him that Merlin's condition had improved little since they found him yesterday, but "it has only been a day, sire. You must give him time." And that had pushed Arthur towards the training grounds, where he'd taken out his worry and frustration on a practice dummy, and, after he'd calmed down a bit, he had aimed it at training the new initiatives. Watching them, fighting them, they showed promise. But with all the swordplay, he'd overworked his wrist.

After that, he'd done some paperwork with Gwen's help, until she went to check on Merlin. Arthur had stayed behind, feeling more guilt and knowing that Merlin wouldn't be awake anyway. Probably. Guinevere hadn't pushed him to come, and he was grateful for that. The king reasoned that he'd see him in the morning anyway.

It had only been an hour later that a servant, who certainly wasn't Merlin, came and served him dinner. Arthur sent him away after he had set the silver platter on the table, thanking the servant for his troubles and serving himself. The anxious feeling in his stomach hadn't settled after he'd eaten, and hours later it still hadn't.

An abrupt _click_ echoed through the room, and Arthur turned towards the door, the words 'Don't you ever knock, Merlin?' on his lips. But of course, Merlin had indeed learned how to knock, especially since Gwen's coronation, and of course, it wasn't Merlin anyway.

"Guinevere?"

One glance, and he knew something was wrong. The pristine blue dress she'd been wearing when she left was wrinkled, and several strands of hair were out of place. As she walked towards him, he, brow furrowed with confusion and concern, saw that her eyes were glazed and her eyelids puffy. Her face was spotted with pink, and there were dried tear tracks on her face.

"Gwen?" he asked again, stepping towards her.

She didn't answer, but reaching him, wrapped her arms around his waist and settled her head against his chest, sniffling. He looked down at her before he returned the embrace, running a hand down her hair comfortingly. She let out a small cry, and Arthur pulled her closer. "It's alright. I'm here." Her arms seemed to tighten around him as if to make sure of that, and Arthur let his hand rest in the middle of her back. "Gwen, what happened?"

The queen pulled away from him and glanced up at him, eyes brimming with moisture. "I can't..."

And suddenly, without her even having to tell him, it all fell into place. She had gone to see her friend, she had been gone for hours, and she had come back crying. What had Merlin told her that would make her so upset? What had happened?

"What?"

Guinevere avoided his eyes, looking off to the side as she hid her face. "I can't tell you," she said quietly, sadly.

"Gwen -"

"I can't, Arthur. I promised him. I'm sorry."

Merlin had her promise? What could have been so bad that...? Sighing, Arthur pulled her close again, pressing her head against his chest and intertwining his hand in her hair. "It's alright, Guinevere. I won't make you tell me."

Sounding as if she'd been holding it, Gwen let out a shaky breath against his chest, hugging him tightly as the fire spat in the hearth.

* * *

The dreams came again, though this one was with Guinevere, his cheerful friend, looking at him like a lost soul. She asked him where Arthur was, and when he responded that he didn't know, she grew more and more worried and began calling out for him. But he was gone... they both felt it, even in the dream world. The panic that tears at your chest. The pain that sears your heart. The feeling of having no air to breath as pins pierce your lungs.

And she had burst into tears as she fell to her knees. But she didn't stop there. It was like she kept falling and falling and falling as if into a never ending crevice, the darkness swallowing her whole. And Merlin shouted her name, he ran towards her, reached into the hole, but she was gone too. He couldn't reach her. He couldn't see her. And no matter how loud he shouted, yelled, screamed, or cried, she never replied.

He bolted awake, sitting up on his bed, supported by trembling arms. He let out a small gasp of pain from his wrist and collapsed back on his bed, bringing his broken, wrapped hand to his chest and hugging it against him until the throbbing of pain ebbed. Sweat glinted off his skin, moonlight highlighting a drop of perspiration as it rolled down the side of his nose. His eyes were wild and unfocused, and his mind ran with the power of a thousand war horses, never slowing.

Merlin took in a deep, ragged breath, breathing out through his teeth as he clenched them together, trying to rid his mind of the images he saw. A mantra started to run through his head that Gwen was alright; that he'd only talked to her a few hours ago, and that she was safely in her bed with Arthur. And Arthur would protect her. Like he should have.

No. He couldn't think like that. It was only a dream. Gwen was fine. Arthur was fine. They were both alive and well and healthy and _alive_.

He turned to the side, letting out a small cry as a tear leaked from his eye and sorrow clawed at his heart.

Arthur was dead.

The other Arthur. He had died in Merlin's arms because of Mordred. Arthur had died...

Merlin's hands went to his ears, trying to block out his own thoughts as he whimpered. Arthur is alive. Arthur is alive. Arthur is alive. Gwen told him so. Repeatedly. Arthur is alive, and Camelot isn't falling, and Morgana isn't attacking, and everything is _alright. Please, let everything be alright..._

Gaius was just in the other room, Merlin knew. He was alright too. He had given him dinner and Gwen dinner. He had given Merlin some pain medicine before he went to sleep. He had looked at him with sad eyes that begged for answers but never pried, never voiced his inquires.

And Merlin wanted to tell him. He wanted to tell him so badly, but he couldn't. He was too ashamed. He didn't want anyone else but Gwen to know. He couldn't stop himself from telling her, she was Gwen after all, his first friend in Camelot, and she promised she wouldn't tell anyone else. He didn't want anyone to know what had happened: his traveling through time, Morgana, Mordred, Arthur, his failure.

He didn't want their opinions of him to change. He was too afraid.

It wasn't long ago that they had accepted his magic, yes, but could they accept that Merlin had failed in saving their king? Merlin wasn't brave enough to find out. Not yet.

He was supposed to _protect Arthur! _And he hadn't.

Another tear leaked from his eye, and he took a deep breath to try and calm himself. He tried to recall Kilgharrah's words that that world would have never existed if he got back to his own time - which he had - but he couldn't find comfort in the thought that that Arthur hadn't ever been alive in the first place. He had been flesh and blood, he had a mind, he had a heart, and he had a soul. And no matter what anyone could tell Merlin, Arthur, _that_ Arthur, had been alive. Merlin had talked with him, and Arthur had helped him with his sickness - a feeling that had left him when he'd returned - and he had only wanted to help Merlin. He had been real.

And he was dead.

And there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn't even give him a burial, or a memorial of some kind, let alone mourn the loss of his best friend. People would notice. So he would hide it, like he'd hidden his feelings towards Balinor and Freya's death.

It wouldn't be easy - because this was _Arthur_ - but he would do it.

He sniffed, running his good hand under his nose as he sat up once more, shifting his weight to his right arm before he swung his legs over the bed. Moonlight streamed across his back, throwing shadows where his nightshirt crinkled from sleep. His room was quiet except for the creaking of his bed and the swirl of troubled thoughts inside his pounding head. He ran a hand through his hair before carefully, and with one hand, slipping his boots over his socks and tentatively standing. The bruises on his legs were still there, but the abused muscles had healed enough for him to walk without too much pain echoing through his limbs.

He draped his Court Sorcerer's cloak around his shoulder, sure of the chill that would be in the air this hour, and meticulously opened his door, aware of how much the hinges could protest. There was only a small squeak though, and Merlin carefully made his way down the stairs and into the quiet main chamber of the physician's quarters. As always, things were strewn about the place and the air smelled of cooking potions, but Merlin took a deep breath through his nose, letting the scents stabilize him and anchor him. Of all the many things that had changed between this world and the future one, Gaius' chambers: the look, the smell, the feel, had stayed the same.

Letting it out slowly, Merlin crossed over to the workdesk, plucking a vial full of navy blue liquid from the patch and swallowing it quickly so as to avoid the foul taste. Painkillers. It should help with his headache and his stiff joints. Morgana having the ceiling crash down on him had done more damage than he'd thought, and he knew that it was only pure emotion and adrenaline that had kept him going then. Now, the soreness and stiffness had caught up to him, but Gaius said - without Merlin giving him any specific details - that that would pass in a few days, and that he'd be fine.

He turned, finding Gaius in the darkness, and Merlin smiled softly. Gaius, his guardian, his surrogate father... The only one who had always known about him and tried to be there for him through his troubles and trials. Merlin once again considered telling him. But in a second, as Merlin's fantasies of the physician's reactions ran through his head, that thought was gone once more, and the warlock frowned. When had he stopped telling Gaius everything? When had he stopped confiding all his problems with his only father figure? Why?

Mind buzzing once more, Merlin turned and walked away, not even trusting himself to answer the questions. He grabbed the latch on the door, twisted it, and opened it with his other hand, trying not to use too much pressure. Closing it behind him, he found that the hallway was barren except for a candelabra down the corridor, and Merlin felt a little of his anxiety leave him. Turning left, he headed to one of the places he always went when he wanted to clear his head.

The battlements.

* * *

Reds and yellows dappled the sky, mixing into orange here and there as if fingers had smeared paints over a canvas. Sunlight broke over the lower town, brightening rooftops and sending alleyways into light shadows. Blues and purples stretched from the other side of the sky, lightening as the colors were conquered by daylight. Random streaks of color smeared across the landscape, almost leading the warlock to believe that a toddler had painted the picture.

The sound of footsteps broke Merlin from his thoughts, but he didn't turn towards the sound. He had spent years in Arthur's company, and he knew the king's gait as well as he did his own.

"Have you been up here all night?"

Merlin bowed his head and found a small, melancholy smile pulling at his lips at the subtle concern in Arthur's voice. "A few hours."

The king stepped closer, and Merlin could almost sense his hesitance. "Gaius' been worried about you, Merlin. You shouldn't wander off like that."

This time, Merlin did turn around, offering Arthur a small, placating smile. "I'm alright."

Arthur came up beside him, leaning against the battlement so he could at least see Merlin's profile as the warlock turned back towards the lower town. "Are you? Truly?" It took a moment, but soon Merlin snapped his gaze towards his king, eyes trying to hide his alarm and concern. "No, don't worry, Guinevere didn't tell me anything."

Merlin let out a slow breath of relief, closing his eyes as a cool breeze snaked past them. He huddled further into his cloak.

"She was in a right state when she came back, though," Arthur continued, almost absent-mindedly. The warlock glanced at him once more, jaw set as if preparing himself. He opened his mouth to speak, but Arthur put a gentle hand on his arm to stop him, their eyes locking, blue on blue, as Arthur spoke. "I'm not going to ask you to tell me what happened, Merlin." Even though that had been his first choice. But it was clear that Merlin wouldn't tell him. Not yet. "I'm not going to yell at you, or demand that you tell me how you got so hurt and bruised and... I just want you to know... I'm here - when you want to talk."

Again, second thoughts raced through his head, making him feel like he was arguing with himself over whether or not to tell Arthur about his magic. He felt tears of frustration pushing against his eyes - frustration that he couldn't tell him, frustration that he didn't trust Arthur, or himself, enough, frustration that Arthur wasn't pushing him because he had been prepared for the yelling and arguing, but this... This was worse.

"I can -," he tried, voice breaking. He swallowed past the lump in his throat and blinked, glancing away from his king - his best friend. "I can't, Arthur. Not yet. It's just... something I have to deal with right now."

Arthur let his hand fall from Merlin's arm, lips tightening into an accepting frown. He gave a curt nod. "Alright," he said simply. "Just remember that I'm here."

The warlock smirked at him, a genuine glint of gratitude in his eye. "Thank you."

Arthur gave him a small smile and nodded again. "I am glad that you told someone, though. I'm not sure what happened, but I know that it was serious if your condition and Guinevere's being upset has anything to say about it."

Merlin bowed his head, pressing his lips together before letting them peel apart with his warm breath as sorrow crawled its way towards his heart again. The king saw this and, eyes softening, he set his hand lightly on Merlin's shoulder, his voice filling with mild concern and forced steadiness as he gave the warlock's shoulder a comforting squeeze. "Come on, let's get you back to Gaius' chambers."

* * *

**Epilogue**

* * *

The only fixtures of light in the eerie room were two candelabras set on either side of the tarnished throne. Cobwebs decorated the room, along decade old, moth eaten banners that gave the room a perverted sense of regality. Emerald eyes flashed impatiently as a woman clothed in dark robes waited for her prisoners to be delivered to her. It had taken days to prepare this, and even longer for everything to come together in her favor, but now she was ready. The frightening grin on her face broadened just as a knock resounded around the room.

"Come!"

The large, heavy doors to the throne room opened, and one of her hired followers, decked in black and dark brown leather, appeared at the threshold and gave a subservient bow of his head. "My lady, the prisoners are here."

Morgana gripped the throne as pleasure coursed through her. "Wonderful," she purred sweetly, "bring them in."

The mercenary nodded in compliance as he backed away, letting six others, all of whom were in pairs holding a knight, stepped forward through the doors. The knights struggled against the captives, but were nevertheless forced to their knees once they reached the throne. At the sight of Morgana, each of the paled, and their eyes widened in surprise.

Morgana smirked. "Hello, Sir Knights."

The knight in the middle was the only one brave enough to respond. "Morgana," he said coldly.

She tilted her head. "Oh don't sound so put off," she simpered. "Now, we are quite familiar with each other, but who are your handsome companions, Sir Knight?"

His mouth remained shut, so Morgana turned to the knights themselves, and with a hesitant glance toward their superior, they complied.

"Sir Alyon," the young man replied, voice trembling.

And the other, in the same condition, said, "Sir Birwyr."

"Good," Morgana smiled, "now we're all acquainted."

"You are sick, Morgana," the middle knight spat. "What do you want with us?"

After a moment of silence as the woman inspected the knights, her eyes narrowed and she slouched further in her throne. Her eyes glinted with madness and her hand curled around the armrest again. "Not 'us'," she clarified, "just you."

"Me? What do you want me for?"

Slowly, she stood, taking in a breath. "I want to rule Camelot -"

"- not while Arthur is alive."

Suddenly, anger darkened her eyes. _"Do not interrupt me!"_ A moments pause, another breath, and she forced her voice to soften. "It would not be wise."

The knight, though, didn't look apologetic.

"Now," she continued, "as I was saying: I want to rule Camelot, and you're going to help me do it."

The knight narrowed his steely eyes. "Not with a single breath in my body."

Morgana laughed. "I could arrange that, but no, you need to be yourself. I need Arthur and his _pet_ to believe that you are his loyal knight. Loyal to the end."

"And all the while, I'd be working for you?"

"Precisely."

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"I said 'no.' I will not help you."

Despite the knight's rebelliousness, her gaze did not falter, but she walked over to him and knelt down, grabbing his chin in her hand as he struggled. "You misunderstand me, Sir Knight, it is not your compliance or loyalty I require. Only your body, and your mind."

She released his chin with a jerk, and the knight, fear coursing through him at her words, struggled again. "Merlin will know. He always knows."

Morgana's smirk faltered, and her anger bled through her once more as she turned back to him. "Emrys is a traitor to his own kind, and by the time he realizes that something is wrong, it will be too late."

"Why are you doing this?" the knight asked. "Magic is free. That's what you wanted, isn't it?"

"I will have justice for what Arthur and Merlin have done to me."

"He will stop you. He -"

Morgana's eyes flashed, and the knight was immediately muted, his lips still working but voice lost. Panic lighted his eyes, and he struggled even more, the knights on either side of him mimicking his movements. "Take him to the dungeons," she said, sounding bored. Walking towards the door, her hand curled around the latch. "I'll deal with him later."

"My lady," the original mercenary called over the knight's struggling, "and what of the other two knights?"

She eyed the two young men as they jerked away from their captors, with no result. They trembled with fear, and sweat glinted off their skin. "Oh," she said, as if she had forgotten about them. Morgana frowned with boredom, and her fingers pulled on the latch as the door squeaked open. Her dress dragged behind her as she walked through, the walls echoing her order of, "Kill them."

* * *

Okay, so I hope that that epilogue answers any questions of: Is there going to be another one? I've gotten a few of those, and yes, I planned this to be a trilogy. :D There will be one more story, which I'm thinking will be called 'The Approaching Storm' as I finally complete the arc I started in What Happens. If you don't remember, re-read the Merlin-Freya meeting, and you'll soon remember. ;) The new one should be up in the next few weeks, hopefully. But please keep in mind that I have a few other stories running, including the _new_ one I just started called 'Camelot' under the penname _sleepingthroughthestorms. _Guys, please check it out, right now I think I only have three readers. :P

Alright, so also going with the epilogue, Morgana has control of one of the knights... and I'm not saying which one. :D You're welcome to guess, but I'm not telling you which one. That'll be a mystery to work out as the next story progresses. :)

Last thing: Thank you all so much for reading. I really, really appreciate all the reviews, and all the encouragement I've received through them. I don't think I'd still be writing stories if I hadn't gotten feedback. Thanks a ton, and I do hope that you take the time to review this chapter. ;)


End file.
